My Love, My Life, My Warrior
by Restless Goddess
Summary: Season 4 AU set before "Groundhog Fae." The Wanderer has rallied an ancient force that threatens all Fae, Light and Dark, and plans to strike on the day that the veil between worlds is thinnest. Tamsin, meanwhile, is forced into a choice that only Bo can make. Valkubus endgame.
1. Chapter One

**My Love, My Life, My Warrior**

**AN: **I've seen a lot of Season 4 fixits and a lot of use of a certain plot device I rather like, so I figured I'd put my two cents in, but from a different mythological standpoint. Here's hoping all goes well. Title taken from a piece I wrote for my Valkubus fic "Dearly Loved."

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

The pain was what woke her: two gouges of agony carved between her shoulder blades by dull knives burning white-hot. Dizzy and gasping, Tamsin tumbled from her bed and onto her hands and knees, her nails digging into the floor as she made a desperate crawl to the stairs. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, _shit_," she hissed as she staggered her way downwards, barely keeping herself from face-planting as she shakily stumbled to what counted as the kitchen in the crack shack. Shaking hot and cold, sweating and shivering, Tamsin braced herself against the counter and let her wings break free with a sigh of relief. Stretching the tender limbs with care, the Valkyrie turned her now-skeletal face to see what was wrong.

"_Shit!"_

Tamsin's wings, once shining white with the barest hints of outlined brown, were now black as night and pitch and tar. They hung in a malicious sort of droop, the feathers listless and barely discernable in the hints of moonlight shining through the broken walls. Still taking desperate gulps of air, each one a sharp stab in her lungs, Tamsin curved her wings just far enough for her to reach back and touch them. As she had feared, the texture of her feathers had become rough and harsh, almost grating against her skin.

"No, no…" the Valkyrie whispered to herself, as if saying the words aloud would make it true. "It isn't possible…"

The creak of footsteps down the stairs gave Tamsin just enough time to retract her wings and let her face return to its usual appearance. Bo appeared in the living room a moment later, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Tamsin?" she mumbled, trying to assess the situation as best as a half-awake succubus could. "You ok?"

"I'm good, succulette," Tamsin replied, trying to keep her tone aloof and casual. "Just needed a drink."

"Tamsin, it's three in the morning…"

"Of _water_."

"Oh. Sorry." Bo yawned and turned back to the stairs, but not before giving the Valkyrie one last contemplative look. "G'night, Tamsin."

Only when the succubus's footsteps had faded away did Tamsin murmur, "Good night, Bo."

Sure that she was alone again, Tamsin brought her wings back out, staring at what they'd become. No one could know about this. Not Kenzi and _especially _not Bo. How could she even explain it to them?

How could she tell them she had Fallen?

…

Bo fiddled with the rim of her beer bottle as she watched Tamsin play doubles with Dyson against Kenzi and Hale. The blonde had been more subdued than usual and seemed to be making it a point to avoid the succubus as much as possible, spending time with Kenzi instead. Bo understood the whole "momz" thing Tamsin had with the human, but she still had her suspicions that _something _was going on. Ever since she'd found the Valkyrie in the kitchen in the middle of the night.

It didn't help that Bo was starting to become very fond of Tamsin in a way she couldn't quite interpret. She had originally written it off as just affection for the cheery, innocent Tamsin the Valkyrie had been as she was growing up, but everything changed the day Bo went to rescue her from Massimo's lair: the day Tamsin had spread her wings for the first time and stared Bo down with a skeletal visage both beautiful and terrifying. Bo had placed her hand on Tamsin's cheek and stared into the depths of those haunting eyes without falter, the flutter of the Valkyrie's wings echoing in her ears.

_That's what love feels like._

Bo shook herself and took a long pull from the beer bottle. She had Lauren and Dyson to deal with; the last thing she needed was another player on the field. The cruelty of her own thoughts surprised her so much that she found herself downing the rest of her drink to chase it away. She turned to ask her grandfather for another and found Trick already sliding one towards her.

"Thanks," she mumbled in weary bemusement, taking another long drink.

"You look like you could use it," Trick commented neutrally before going back to cleaning glasses. "Anything I can help with?"

"Just…stuff," Bo gave up with a wave of her hand. "I'll figure it out. Eventually. But thanks. So, doing anything for Halloween?" she continued, wanting to change the subject.

"_Samhain_, Bo," Trick corrected patiently. "Humans celebrate Halloween."

The succubus grinned. "And yet that didn't stop you from holding a rather impressive costume party last year."

The bartender rolled his eyes. "It was a _fancy dress_ party, and fancy dress was _optional_. If I recall correctly, Kenzi got a lot of scathing looks for that ridiculous getup she claimed was a cat costume."

"They were just jealous of my mad styling skillz," Kenzi cut in. She and the others had finished their game of pool and come to the bar looking for more drinks. Tamsin, Bo noticed, made sure to put both Kenzi _and _Hale between her and the succubus.

Trick gave the human a pointed look. "Whatever it was, there will be none of that this year, young lady. But to answer your question, Bo, yes, I am holding a Samhain celebration."

"Yes!" Hale, Kenzi, and Dyson exclaimed, and their response made Trick roll his eyes again along with Bo and Tamsin.

"If you miscreants don't mind, I'd like to keep it a little more civil than last year," Trick stressed, even as he put shot glasses in front of everyone and brought out the vodka without question. "I'd rather not have to replace any more tables."

"That was an accident!" Kenzi whined.

"All the same," Trick insisted, and the human sighed.

"Fine, fine," Kenzi accepted with an overdramatic sigh. "Killjoy." She was about to come up with a further retort when the door to the Dal banged open and the Fae that stormed in rendered the place silent.

The Morrigan, slightly disheveled and definitely angry, marched forward and shoved Bo and Hale aside so she could plant her hands on the bar, nails digging into the wood.

"Blood King, we have a _serious _problem."

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><p>Samhain: pronounced "SOW-an" ("ow" like "cow"). One of the four Celtic seasonal festivals. Samhain marks the end of harvest season and is also said to be the day when the veil between this world and the Otherworld is thinnest.<p> 


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

**AN: **More mythology and lots of dialogue. Glossary will be provided at the end of the chapter.

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><p>"<em>Blood King, we have a <em>serious_ problem."_

"I'll say," Kenzi snarked. "You're _here_."

"Kenzi!" Bo hissed.

"Leash your pet, succubus, we have more important things to worry about," the Morrigan spat. "I'm as thrilled about my presence here as she is, but this is bigger than Light or Dark."

"Everybody out!" Trick shouted across the Dal. "We're closed! Official business!" The Fae left quickly, none of them wanting anything to do with whatever it was that brought the Morrigan raging in. Once everyone but the assemblage around Trick had left, the bartender turned back to Evony. "Now what's this all about?"

"The Otherworld, Blood King. This is about the Otherworld and the veil. It's tearing."

Bo and Kenzi knew by the wide eyes and indrawn breaths that this meant something terrible, but neither had any clue as to what. "Are you sure?" Trick whispered, and Bo was surprised to hear her grandfather's voice tremble.

"I was chased here by a couple scald crows; I'm _very _sure." Tamsin made a disgusted noise and the Morrigan arched an eyebrow at her. "I would've thought Valkyries liked scald crows. Or do they cramp your style?"

"Scald crows?" Bo asked, putting aside her confusion about the Otherworld and the veil in favor of what seemed like a simpler question.

"Battlefield scavengers," Tamsin replied, scowling at the Morrigan. "They inspire courage in some warriors and feast on the remains of others. They serve Mór Ríoghan."

"If they're yours, why are they chasing you?" Bo asked Evony, thoroughly confused.

The Morrigan rolled her eyes. "Your ignorance is painful, succubus. Not 'the Morrigan,' _Mór Ríoghan_: goddess of battle and strife and one of the first Dark Fae ever to have lived. The title of Morrigan is in her honor."

"If she was one of the first dark Fae ever to have lived, how did she send her crows after you?"

"Because the veil to the Otherworld is tearing," Trick repeated Evony in a resigned sigh.

"Samhain sure as hell won't help," Tamsin added, pouring herself another shot and downing it in one smooth movement.

"What does Samhain have to do with this? Can somebody _please _start explaining things?!" Bo protested, beginning to lose her temper.

"Slow your roll, succubitch; we'll spell it out for you," the Valkyrie replied calmly. Throwing back another shot, she began, "Samhain is the one day of the year when the veil between this world and the Otherworld is thinnest. The Otherworld is one of many realms that host dead Fae, but it's also home to a group of Fae that were tricked into living there: Fae called the Tuatha Dé Danann. The Tuatha were once the gods of what is now Ireland."

"Hurry it up, Valkyrie; this isn't storytime," the Morrigan growled.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm getting there," Tamsin waved her off. "Anyway, so the Tuatha live in the Otherworld along with a bunch of dead Fae and the more ancient of the sídhe. The dead Fae are all well and good, but the Tuatha and the ancient sídhe were trapped in the Otherworld against their will and will take _any _opportunity to break free. I'm willing to bet that several millennia spent basically underground are enough to piss anyone off enough to attack everyone they come across."

"Oh, honey, the Tuatha and the sídhe are _more _than just pissed," the Morrigan interjected. "They've been holding a grudge since the day the Milesian king tricked them out of this world. I'd've thought that battle would've been swarmed with Valkyries. It was the fall of a kingdom, after all."

"I was at the battle, not the negotiations," Tamsin shrugged, downing another shot. She was almost to the bottom of the bottle.

"So if I'm hearing this correctly, the veil – which is already going to be thinner on Samhain – is starting to tear and let through a bunch of Fae with a thousand-year grudge?" Bo tried to understand.

"Try five thousand years," the Morrigan corrected. "And that's only half of it. There's the possibility that the veil will be so thin on Samhain that it will tear completely, opening the door for every Fae in the Otherworld to take their vengeance."

"What did we ever do to them?" Kenzi protested.

"As far as the Tuatha and the sídhe are concerned, everyone in this world has taken what's rightfully theirs and they'll do anything to get it back," Dyson answered, his voice more grim than usual.

"I don't suppose there's some way to sew the veil shut?" Bo asked, only half-joking.

"You wish, succubus. Only the Tuatha and the sídhe have the power to close the veil and they're the ones who want to get out."

"But this has happened before," Hale spoke up. "I grew up sitting through a whole lot of Clan Zamorra stories and some of them involve the tearing of the veil."

"The last time this happened it was at the cost of thousands of sídhe," the Morrigan replied. "They sealed the breach, but the tear wasn't nearly as big and it was around Bealtaine."

"I must've missed that battle," Tamsin commented.

"You weren't invited," the Morrigan shot back.

"Hold up, there are sídhe here?" Kenzi asked, just as confused as Bo was. "I thought they were all trying to get out."

"You're looking at one, human," Evony replied, spreading her hands.

"Trick told me once that you're a leanan sídhe," Bo remembered. "So you're a descendent of the ancient sídhe?"

"Technically I'm a descendent of the Tuatha themselves, like all sídhe. But after that first tearing of the veil we became a rare commodity, and usually we're _really _hard to kill."

"Almost up there with Valkyries," Tamsin smirked. It was the Morrigan's turn to scowl.

Bo sighed. "Ok. So. Army of angry Fae knocking at the door. Par for the course. Plan?"

"_Plan?!" _the Morrigan shrieked. "You're doing _nothing_, succubus! All of this happened because of you!"

The air seemed to leave the room as the gathered Fae stared at Bo. "…Me? What…how is this _my _fault?"

"Don't think I didn't hear about your little stunt: crossing between worlds without a guide! Figured you'd just crash your way back home without even thinking about the damage you'd be doing?" Evony tangled her fingers in her hair and made a noise of both rage and disgust.

"When did you cross between worlds?!" Tamsin snapped at Bo. The succubus was about to snap right back when she saw the Valkyrie's expression. As tough as she was trying to look, worry brimmed in her bright green eyes.

"All I did was…jump from the Death Train…" Bo trailed off, slumping in her seat as the guilty realization draped across her shoulders.

"You _jumped_?!" Tamsin almost fell off her barstool. "You could have been torn to pieces!"

"Maybe if she had then we wouldn't have this problem!" the Morrigan growled.

"_Evony," _Trick warned, and the low foreboding of his voice and unspoken command for silence made her flinch despite herself. With that one word, he had become every inch the Blood King.

"Look, if this is my fault, then I have to be the one to fix it, whatever it takes," Bo declared, her expression one of decisive finality.

"Um, Bo-Bo, I hate to rain on your heroic parade, but you've already got the Wanderer to worry about," Kenzi noted.

Tamsin spat out the shot she had half-downed. The human's words brought all the pieces floating drunkenly in her mind into a much more sobering whole. "That was some mighty fine vodka you just wasted there, T," said human remarked, but Tamsin didn't fire off a retort, too concentrated on keeping her growing panic in check.

"Evony, what year did the veil tear the first time?"

"About 1100, give or take a couple decades."

Wracked with guilt, Tamsin turned to the succubus. "Bo, that's about the same time I made the deal with the Wanderer, and he's the one who put you on the Death Train."

"And if jumping from the Train specifically tore the veil, then that means the Wanderer would have to be on the other side, and that means…" Bo began with growing dread.

"…that he could be one of the ancient sídhe. Maybe even one of the Tuatha themselves."

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><p><strong>Glossary <strong>(I broke out _all _my college notes for this chapter):

sídhe: Pronounced "shee."The ancient fairy folk of Ireland. The word "sí" can also refer to their homes

leanan sídhe: Pronounced "LEN-an shee" (they pronounce it incorrectly on the show). Literally "fairy queen" or "fairy lover." They act as muses to bards and poets but they also slowly drive them insane. The song "My Lagan Love" references leanan sídhe.

Mór Ríoghan: Pronounced "more REE-(g)han" (the "g" is there, but just barely). Goddess of battle and strife. Also known as a triple-form goddess, the three women named Nemhain ("ne-VAN"), Macha ("MA-ch(k)a"), and Badb ("bayv"), which brings us to...

scald crows: Servants of Badb present on the battlefield. It's said they leapt from spear point to spear point calling out to and encouraging soldiers in battle.

Tuatha Dé Danann: Pronounced "TU-a-ha day DAHN-an." Ancient Gods of Ireland that now inhabit the Underworld (if I'm reading my notes correctly). When they were defeated by the Milesian king a treaty was signed that would split the land between the Milesians and the Tuatha. The king tricked them by taking the land above ground and giving the Tuatha the land below.

The veil/Otherworld: The veil separates our world from the world of the sídhe. It is thinnest at Samhain and thickest at...

Bealtaine: Pronounced "beltane" or "BEL-tah-nuh." One of the four Celtic seasonal festivals, held in May.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

**AN: **Pro Writing Tip: When you have the dialogue for an argument perfectly planned out in your head, be sure to write it down so you don't forget. Also, to the Guest who's been leaving detailed reviews: _thank you_. All reviews make me happy, but you really make me happy. :)

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><p>Trick decided that Bo needed to be guarded at all times, to which the succubus rolled her eyes and Dyson immediately volunteered. Tamsin countered him, he retorted, and they ended up taking their argument to the stairwell to Trick's lair so they might get into a full-out row without Bo hearing. In the meantime, the Morrigan, Hale, and Trick discussed what they could access from the Dark Archives, the Light Archives, and the Blood King's library, respectively, while Bo listened in, hoping to glean at least a sliver of information about what they were dealing with. Kenzi, left to her own devices, decided that the fight would be more interesting to listen to and made her way to the top of the stairwell for some eavesdropping.<p>

Kenzi couldn't quite make out what Dyson and Tamsin were saying, but she picked out a few pieces here and there, mostly from Tamsin. It began with something like "I live there anyway," but soon escalated to "I took you down with a glare when I was at the end of my life cycle; imagine what I could do to you now," which made the human smirk. Whatever Dyson said next had to be a low blow to the Valkyrie, if his vehemence was anything to go by. Kenzi winced as the unmistakable sound of fist hitting flesh confirmed her suspicions. The Russian girl didn't catch the beginning of Tamsin's sentence, but she caught the end as the Valkyrie headed up the stairs speaking in a low, menacing tone. "…no matter what your feelings for her are, wolf."

"And what about _your _feelings for her?" Dyson challenged. Tamsin's footsteps stopped.

"I owe her a few. That's all."

_Yeah, right, _the human thought with a smirk before making herself scarce.

…

Tamsin sat almost lazily on the couch, her body turned to face the door. She was idly playing with the hilt of her sword lying across her thigh, the blade stretching out to touch the floor. Her thoughts split between the night's revelations and her own predicament: the one involving drooping wings with feathers of coal. Tamsin knew full well that she had Fallen; the issue was acceptance and admitting to herself that she may stay that way until the end, never to set foot in Valhalla again. But there was only one way to make it right, and that was a choice the Valkyrie wasn't ready to make, especially when she wasn't the one who would have to choose.

_This is just _so _fucked up, _Tamsin groaned to herself, rubbing her forehead. "What do you want, succubus?" she asked without turning.

"How did you know it was me?"

"The stairs creak and Kenzi's still snoring."

"How can you even _hear _that?" Bo asked.

"I'm a Valkyrie, succubabe." This time she did look at Bo. The succubus had foregone her kimono and was clad only in a strapless nightie of black silk, the hem of which ended halfway down her thighs. Tamsin was glad it was dark or the succubus might have seen the blush creeping across the blonde's face before she turned back to the door. "I'm just good like that."

Bo said nothing, instead sitting beside Tamsin on the couch. There was silence for a bit, but a comfortable one. After awhile, Bo reached over and ran her hand along the hilt of Tamsin's sword. "It's beautiful," she murmured.

Tamsin smirked with pride, taking a moment to admire the hilt herself. The grip was wrapped in fine leather, well-worn from countless battles. The pommel had a hexagonal base, the six sides curving in to form a sharp point. But the crosspiece was by far the most beautiful: shining wings that curved out and around to touch the blade. Each wing was intricately engraved to the tiniest detail, down to the feathers that reached out to brush steel.

"Valkyries don't choose their swords; they choose us," Tamsin replied. She wasn't sure why she was telling Bo the story, but something about it just felt right in that moment. "When we're five years old we're brought to a grand hall in Valhalla filled with more types of weapons you can imagine. One of the weapons will call to us and we follow that call until we find what we're destined to wield." Tamsin gave a little laugh, smiling down at her sword. "When I was three I managed to break into the hall. I can just barely remember finding the sword and being annoyed that I couldn't reach it. When Acacia found me I had knocked it from its stand and was trying to lift it. Apparently I looked up at her, waved the hilt as best I could and went 'this one this one this one!'"

Bo grinned at Tamsin and the sight made the Valkyrie's heart feel strange. "Was she mad at you for breaking in?"

"Nah. If anything it meant that I was destined to be one of the best Valkyries."

"'One of'? I thought you were the best," Bo teased.

Tamsin smirked again. "That I am, succulette. Well, Acacia nearly had me beat, but yeah, I'm the best."

"Who's Acacia?"

Tamsin's smile faded. "Someone important," she ground out, and the tone of her voice was warning enough for Bo to drop the subject. Tamsin didn't let the silence linger long before asking, "So what brings you down here at this hour, succubus?"

"Some bird won't stop rapping on the windowsill. I think it's a magpie. Those are black and white, right?"

Adrenaline spiked in Tamsin's veins and she looked at Bo with a serious, almost panicked expression. "A black and white bird?"

"Yeah, it's got a black head and body and – "

" – a white hood?" Tamsin finished for her.

Bo blinked in surprise. "Yeah, that's it."

"Bo, that's a scald crow!" the Valkyrie exclaimed. As one, the two women leapt to their feet and bolted up the stairs, Tamsin keeping a tight grip on her sword.

When they burst into Bo's bedroom, the bird was still there, fixing them with a piercing obsidian gaze. Once it was sure it had their attention, it let out a long, low caw. The call was harsh and grating and filled with ominous promise, and Tamsin and Bo shivered at the sound. Having delivered its message, the bird departed, its wings silent in the darkest hour of night.

"That was a warning," Tamsin said without looking away from the window. Only when Bo grabbed her arm did she turn to meet a much softer gaze.

"Tamsin…will you stay with me tonight? Please?"

It was a bad idea – the _worst _idea. But the Valkyrie couldn't deny Bo anything. "Sure, succulette. I'll be right here."

Bo gave her a shaky smile before turning and crawling into bed. Tamsin's heart called after her and she followed the pull, sitting atop the sheets as Bo crawled under the covers. "G'night, Tamsin," she whispered.

"G'night, Bo."

…

About an hour after Bo's breathing had evened, she curled up against the Valkyrie and began to whimper, caught in a nightmare. "Shh," Tamsin soothed, reaching out to stroke the succubus's hair.

"Tamsin…" Bo cried in her sleep.

"I'm right here, Bo. I'll always be here. You're safe."

At the Valkyrie's words and gentle touch, the succubus began to calm, eventually returning to peaceful slumber. But still Tamsin ran her fingers through Bo's hair, sighing as she did. She knew this was only making everything worse, but if this was all she could ever have, the Valkyrie would cherish every moment.

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><p>If you Google images of scald crows, the third picture that comes up is probably the best example of what they're supposed to look like. Also, I wrote this chapter to "The Mummer's Dance," by Loreena McKennitt. Give it a listen, if you like (the pretty, six-minute version, not the speedy version).<p> 


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

**AN: **All these views and reviews have made me so happy! For this chapter I'm borrowing an OC from one of my other Lost Girl stories 'cause apparently I'm allowed to do that.  
>To the reviewer hey there: Haaa, sorry, your Google and my Google must clash or something. Maybe if you had a pen name I could message you the link. :) Kidding; I'll post a link in my profile or something.<p>

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><p>Tamsin got to the Dal a few hours before everyone else was supposed to, grabbing two pints and a corner booth. She didn't have to wait long before her friend arrived, and the Valkyrie knew she was there long before she saw her. Nearby Fae moved aside with wary glances over their shoulders and the ripple continued in Tamsin's direction until the cause stood before the Valkyrie with her hands on her hips.<p>

Tamsin smirked and spread her hands. "And lo, the empath parted the crowd as Moses parted the sea."

"And yet she still can't get any reaction from the blonde bitch." The other Fae regarded the Valkyrie with a deep brown gaze before sliding onto the opposite bench. "Good to see you, Tamsin."

"You, too, Kayleigh," the Valkyrie replied, and the two reached across the table to clasp hands.

The empath leaned back and put her hands behind her head, letting her long brown curls cascade over her shoulders. "Beer?" she questioned in surprise as she looked at Tamsin's choice of drink. "Wow, something must _really _be wrong."

"Eh," the Valkyrie shrugged. "It's too early for vodka."

"Who are you and what have you done with Tamsin?" The blonde rolled her eyes, making the empath chuckle. "But in as much seriousness as I can muster, what's up? It's been awhile."

Tamsin shrugged again. "I just wanted to ask you a few questions about your mom, that's all."

Kayleigh gave her a skeptical look. "Uh, you knew my mom longer than I've been alive; you probably know a shit ton more than I ever will, no matter how many stories you tell me."

"Yeah, but we kind of lost touch before she met Elisedd. I mean, I heard about him, and I heard she had you, but the most contact we ever had after that was waving to each other across that World War I battlefield."

"Wait, so you want to know about her married life? Seriously?"

"I just want to know what Alexandra was like around you and Elisedd," Tamsin replied defensively. "That's all."

Kayleigh canted her head to the side, and Tamsin knew she was actively sensing her emotions. After a moment, a look of triumphant realization and amusement crossed the empath's face. "Ohhhh, _I _see what this is about now." She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. "_You _want to know if my mother Fell." When Tamsin didn't respond, Kayleigh chuckled. "Not all Valkyries who get married Fall, you know. Falling is rare and Rising is even rarer for a _lot _of good reasons."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the lore and shit." Tamsin waved dismissively. "Alexandra just doesn't seem like the Falling type."

"You wouldn't want to know this for any _personal _reasons, would you?" Kayleigh smirked.

"And what would make you think that?" Tamsin challenged.

It was the empath's turn to roll her eyes. "Bitch, please. Your worry is emanating so far from your body that I almost tripped over it when I went to sit down. You can't hide shit from me, Tam."

Tamsin sighed and hung her head, and Kayleigh could feel the weight of her weariness and guilt. Studying her for a long moment, Kayleigh sat back and picked up her pint, draining the contents in one long swig. "Yeah, Tam, Mom Fell," she replied quietly as she stood up. "But she also Rose." Tamsin snapped her head up and gazed at her friend in astonishment. Kayleigh met her stare as she took a few steps backward before turning and leaving the Dal, her passage once again parting the crowd of Fae.

Tamsin watched her go before looking down at her beer as if the bottom of the glass held all the answers she was seeking. If Kayleigh was right, then there was still hope…barely.

…

Bo and Kenzi entered the Dal to find Tamsin lounging at the bar, well into the vodka. "Already? Really?" the succubus protested.

"It's never too early for vodka, succubabe."

"Amen, Lil' T!" Kenzi agreed, high-fiving the woman. "Share me some of the good stuff." Tamsin obliged with a smile, and the two women clinked their glasses together before downing the shots.

"If you keep that up you'll have me cleaned out by the end of the night," Trick sighed. "Now come on – we have work to do."

Bo followed her grandfather eagerly, but Tamsin took her time sliding off the barstool. She'd barely taken half a step before she doubled over gasping, pressing a hand to her chest. The succubus didn't notice, but Kenzi was immediately at her side. "Whoa, Tam-Tam, you ok? What's wrong?"

The Valkyrie regained her composure, but not before Kenzi saw the anguished look on her face as she glanced at the stairwell leading to Trick's Lair. "I'm fine, short-stack," she managed. She squared her shoulders and followed the other Fae. "Just a cramp." The human watched her with suspicion, anything but convinced, before sighing and following as well.

Bo smiled at Tamsin when she appeared in Trick's Lair, but Tamsin didn't look at her, instead picking a book from the enormous pile the Blood King had set aside and finding a corner to sit in. Hurt, the succubus looked to Kenzi for some sort of answer, but the human could only shrug. Shaking her feelings aside, Bo turned to Trick and asked, "Where are the others?"

"Dyson and Hale are looking through the Light Archives and the Morrigan and Lauren are searching the Dark Archives."

Bo looked up from the book she had been examining. "Lauren?" she asked, anger edging her voice with steel. Tamsin wanted so desperately to reach out and comfort the succubus, but Kenzi was closer, rubbing Bo's shoulder and giving her a sad smile. Bo's responding smile was weak and resigned, fading before it could truly form.

"This is everything I could find with reference to the Tuatha," Trick continued obliviously, gesturing to the pile of books. "I used to have more, but so much was lost and divided during the Fae War that my records are incomplete. The Tuatha are old – _very _old, and very powerful."

"That's _such _a comforting thing to know, Trickster," Kenzi commented with dripping sarcasm and an irritated expression. He gave her a stern look in response.

"We need to know what we're up against, Kenzi. I'd rather know the worst than be taken by surprise."

Tamsin, meanwhile, had used the conversational distraction to peruse the contents of Trick's shelf. A small, familiar-looking tome caught her eye and further examination revealed a Norse rune on the front cover. Glancing at the others to make sure she was unobserved, Tamsin slipped the book into the inside pocket of her leather jacket, and it was just thin enough to leave no indication of its presence. Sauntering back to her chosen corner of the room, the Valkyrie retook her position on the floor and began to read. The others followed her example, Kenzi and Bo doing so with long-suffering sighs.

Kenzi opened her book and groaned. "Triiiiiick, this one's all in gibberish!" she whined.

Trick craned his neck to see what she was looking at. "That's because you're holding a copy of the _Táin Bó Cuailnge_," he replied. "And it's not gibberish, it's Irish."

"Switch?" she pleaded. Trick couldn't help but give her an affectionate smile as they traded books.

"Shame you can't read Irish, short-stack," Tamsin commented. "The _Táin _is pretty epic."

"Cliff Notes version?"

"It translates to _The Cattle Raid of Cooley_. That may sound boring, but some pretty awesome battles went down then, many involving Cú Chulainn."

"Cuckoo who?"

Tamsin sighed, even as she grinned at the human. "Cú Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster. One of the finest warriors ever to have lived. When he finally fell in battle he tied himself to a rock so he could die on his feet. Every Valkyrie around wanted to be the one to claim that man's soul, me included. He went to Tír na nÓg, though."

"And that would be…?"

"The Land of Eternal Youth. There are a lot of places warriors can go when they die, and that happens to be the Irish one. Valhalla is Norse, but you don't have to be Nordic for your soul to be taken there."

Kenzi clapped her hands over her ears. "Enough! Too confusing!"

Tamsin chuckled. "Not my fault your human brain is too tiny to handle it."

"If there was something I could throw at you, it would be thrown," Kenzi snarked at her, which only made the Valkyrie laugh more.

"Found something!" Bo called. "I mean, I think I found something…"

Kenzi scooched over on the couch while Trick and Tamsin got up to look, Tamsin against her better judgment. "That's the genealogy of the Tuatha," Trick identified, examining the complicated web of names.

"Could one of them be the Wanderer?" Bo asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer.

"It's possible, I suppose," Trick admitted.

"Uh, problem: it looks like they all died thousands of years ago," Kenzi pointed out, indicating the notes beside each name.

"That's not going to matter if he's coming from the Otherworld," Tamsin replied. "That said, living beings are usually closer to the veil than dead ones, so it's more likely that the Wanderer is one of the ancient sídhe."

"We hope," Trick added darkly.

"But if the sídhe are the ones closer to the veil then how was Mór Ríoghan able to send scald crows after the Morrigan and me?" Bo asked.

Trick looked up sharply. "You've seen a scald crow?" When the succubus nodded and told him about the previous night, her grandfather let out an anxious sigh. "It's not safe for you to be at your house anymore."

"It was _never _safe to be at that house," Tamsin commented.

"Can't argue with that," Bo agreed.

"Bo, you're going to have to find another place to stay," her grandfather finished.

"She and Kenzi can stay with me," Tamsin offered. As long as Kenzi was around, the Valkyrie would be fine.

"Tam-Tam, I love you dearly, but I am _not _sleeping on your couch," Kenzi cut in. "I'll see if I can stay at Hale's."

Tamsin's heart dropped. It would look too suspicious if she rescinded her offer now, and Bo was looking at her with an expression of thankful hope. The Valkyrie sighed, once again unable to deny the succubus anything.

"Come on, you two – let's get you packed."

…

"Tamsin, could you help me with something?" Kenzi's voice floated down the stairs. The Valkyrie looked towards the ceiling and sighed. She'd been pacing the living room for a good fifteen minutes, fiddling with the hilt of the sword at her hip as she so often did when there was something on her mind. "Pleeeeeeease?" came the human's voice.

"Keep your pants on, short-stack, I'll be right up." Trudging up the stairs to where Kenzi slept, she found herself standing in an empty room. "…Kenzi?"

The door slammed shut behind her and Tamsin whirled around to see the human leaning against it, blocking her escape route. "Talk," she ordered, folding her arms over her chest.

Tamsin shifted uncomfortably. "About what?"

Kenzi gave her a look that was both affectionate and scathing. "You know very well what, missy. You've been avoiding Bo, that _so _wasn't a cramp you had at the bar, and don't think I didn't see you take that book from Trick's shelf."

The Valkyrie blinked in surprise. "How…?"

"Nicking things is my thing, Lil' T," the Russian girl replied. "Now _spill_." When Tamsin said nothing, Kenzi's expression softened. Walking forward and taking the Valkyrie's hands, she continued, "You know you can tell me anything, right? Tell Mama Kenzi what's wrong."

Defeated, Tamsin sighed. "It's a long, complicated story, momz."

* * *

><p><strong>Glossary:<br>**(taken from more college notes and the book _Legendary Ireland_, by Eithne Massey)

_Táin Bó Cuailnge_: If I recall correctly, pronounced "TAWN bo COOL-a-nuh." Translates to "The Cattle Raid of Cooley." Part of the Ulster Cycle, which is the second of four cycles used to divide Irish mythology. One of the prominent characters in the _Táin _is...

Cú Chulainn: Pronounced "koo KULL-an." Warrior known as the Hound of Ulster. He really did tie himself to a rock as he was dying so he could die on his feet. It's said that it was a few days after his death before any crow would come near him because no one was convinced he was dead.

Tír na nÓg: Pronounced "TEER na nohg" (long "o"). "Land of Eternal Youth"/"Land of the Young"/"Land of Youth" etc. As far as I know, warriors don't actually go there when they die; I took a few liberties for purposes of the story.

The family tree of the Tuatha can be found on Wikipedia.


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

**AN: **The amount of views and reviews I got yesterday bowled me over, so I just had to keep writing. Yes, I know this upcoming plot device has been used before, but I wanted to put my own spin on it. I read everyone else's spins and went "Hey, this looks like fun."

* * *

><p>Still holding onto Tamsin's hands, Kenzi backed onto the bed until she sat cross-legged on the mattress, looking up at the Valkyrie. Tamsin was still looking at the floor, trying to figure out the best way to begin her story. She opened her mouth a few times, then shut it again, each time with a shaky sigh as she forced back tears.<p>

"Valkyries… A Valkyrie is trained for battle. Our sole purpose lies in war and in bringing soldiers back to Valhalla. It's what we're made for. But sometimes…"

Tamsin pulled back from Kenzi and began to pace, her hands gesturing in halting, trembling movements. "Sometimes…if a Valkyrie…if they meet someone… Sometimes Valkyries find a warrior. These warriors are called 'chosen' warriors, but the Valkyries can't really help who they…who the warriors are. If a Valkyrie falls for a warrior, then she…well…Falls.

"A Fallen Valkyrie's life cycle immediately becomes her last. She gets her wings, but they're black and rough. It means that she's accepted the Valkyrie Bond. Her purpose is now her warrior, and she will never set foot in Valhalla again. She can still take souls to the gate, but she cannot pass through. If she dies, she goes to Fólkvangr – Freya's realm."

"So the Valkyrie Bond is when a Valkyrie falls in love?" Kenzi interpreted, her voice kind.

Tamsin nodded. "Yeah." She sighed again. "A Fallen Valkyrie is constantly drawn to her warrior. She literally feels a pull in her heart to follow them. If her warrior is close, her heart even begins to form a connection, but that connection breaks when the warrior moves away, causing the Valkyrie a moment of pain. She is completely devoted to her warrior, even if…even if her warrior doesn't feel the same."

"And if the warrior does?"

"If a warrior loves his or her Valkyrie in return then he or she can accept the bond."

"What happens to them?"

"The Valkyrie Rises. Her wings become pure white and she and her warrior become one. Their powers grow. Their lives become entwined and can continue for millennia. Some of the lore says that one bonded couple lived for over ten thousand years. The passage says something like 'civilizations rose and fell around them but time could not touch them.'" Tamsin's indrawn breath quivered with unshed tears. "Falling and Rising used to be uncommon, but not rare. Bonding used to be something that was cherished. Valued. That a warrior could be so strong as to sway a Valkyrie and for the two to be together. Unstoppable. But that…not anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because of the drawbacks of the bond. Warriors would bond to Valkyries for the sake of power and then try to go back to old lovers only to find that they could neither love them nor…feel pleasure from them at all. A Valkyrie and her bonded warrior can only find joy in each other. Sometimes warriors would kill Valkyries in their sleep to try and break the bond, but it never worked. The bond is eternal. Valhalla is filled with more than a few resentful warriors and heartbroken Valkyrie. It happened so many times that most Fallen Valkyries would just accept their fate without question knowing it would hurt less in the long run."

"But what if they didn't just 'accept their fate'? What if they chose to complete the bond? How does a warrior even accept the bond?"

"The Valkyrie has to offer it and the warrior has to accept. But once the Valkyrie offers, there's no turning back: in that moment, her life is in her warrior's hands."

"What happens to the Valkyrie if the warrior says no?"

Tamsin shrugged. She'd yet to look Kenzi in the eye. "It depends. Sometimes the Valkyrie just continues living her life as Fallen. Some Valkyries lose their wings. Some actually die."

"Of a broken heart?"

Tamsin let out a weak laugh. "Yeah, pretty much."

Kenzi was silent for a moment as she contemplated the Valkyrie's story, letting everything sink in. "So what does this have to do with you, Tam? Why is this bonding thing worrying you?"

The blonde bit her lip. "Momz…did Bo ever tell you about my wings?"

The human nodded. "Yeah, she said they were gorgeous. White with hints of brown."

The fact that Bo had called her wings 'gorgeous' lifted Tamsin's heart even as it tore. If the succubus could see her wings now, she wouldn't think so highly of them. "Ok, um…I'm gonna show you my wings now. You're gonna see my face, but don't freak out, ok? I'm not casting doubt on you or anything." The Valkyrie took a step back from the bed and let her face darken and hollow to its true form.

Kenzi had to force herself not to reel backwards when she saw Tamsin's face. Bo had said that it was terrifying yet hauntingly beautiful, but to Kenzi it was just terrifying. She couldn't read an ounce of emotion from the woman who called her momz and it scared her more than she wanted to admit. But fear was replaced by awe and then dismay as Tamsin's wings reached from her back and stretched to their full length. "Oh, Tam-Tam," Kenzi murmured, standing from the bed and reaching out to touch the feathers.

"Don't," Tamsin warned, holding out her hand. "You'll be cut. A Valkyrie's wings can act as both weapon and shield. Only one person in a Valkyrie's life can safely touch her wings." Kenzi nodded, but didn't quite pull her hand away. Seeing this, Tamsin reached back and pulled out a feather, handing it to the human. "Hurry. A Valkyrie feather doesn't last long on its own." Kenzi gently took the feather in her hands, her heart sinking even further when she felt the rough texture. A moment later, the feather disappeared in a wisp of black smoke. "It's supposed to be a sort of white mist…" Tamsin mourned as she watched it go. With a shuddering exhale, she retracted her wings and let the darkness fade from her face. Kenzi ran forward and wrapped her arms around the Valkyrie's neck. Tamsin returned the embrace, and the human could feel the blonde's tears through the fabric of her shirt.

"When you doubled over in the Dal, that wasn't a cramp – that was the connection breaking in your heart," Kenzi realized, not letting go.

"Yeah."

"So that means…" Kenzi pulled back and looked at the Valkyrie in shock.

"Yeah," Tamsin repeated, hanging her head. After a pause, Kenzi lifted the blonde's chin with her fingers and when the Valkyrie met the human's gaze, she was surprised to find her smiling.

"She _does _care for you, you know."

Tamsin let out a breath in a sad sort of scoff. "Right. Cares. As a friend."

"I think it's more than that. But there's always time. Well, we kind of have to defeat a horde of sídhe, but after that there'll be time to figure this shit out." Kenzi cupped Tamsin's face in her hands. "Thank you for trusting me with this, T, even though I kind of strong-armed it out of you." This provoked the smallest of smiles from the Valkyrie, which was what Kenzi was hoping for. "I'm here for you, ok? Whenever you need me."

"Thanks, momz," the Valkyrie whispered, truly grateful.

A familiar voice muffled its way through the ceiling. "Tamsin? Kenzi? You guys ready? Where are you?"

"Keep your pants on, sugarsnatch, we'll be right down!" Kenzi shouted back. She gave Tamsin another hug. "We'll figure this out. I'm helping you figure this out whether you like it or not."

Her words gave Tamsin just the smallest bit of hope.

…

"Nice digs," Bo commented as she and Tamsin walked into the Valkyrie's apartment. "Not much for decorating, though, are you?"

Tamsin shrugged. "No need." The place was surprisingly bright, but bare and sparsely furnished with a very utilitarian feel to it. "Bedroom and bathroom are upstairs. I'll be down here if you need me."

"You're…not gonna stay with me again?"

Tamsin felt the tug at her heart and wished so desperately that she could fight it. "If you want, succulette. I suppose I can stay nearby." The grin that lit Bo's face at this response made everything worth it.

They changed separately – Tamsin into a t-shirt and sweats while Bo wore the infuriating black nightie again. As they had the night before, the succubus crawled under the covers while the Valkyrie stayed atop them, resting her sword by her nightstand. "Aren't you going to sleep?" Bo asked.

"I'm not tired."

Bo propped herself up and gave Tamsin a skeptical look. "You were awake all night last night."

"Valkyries can stay awake as long as they like. And I had a nap earlier."

"Tamsin…"

The Valkyrie let out a long-suffering sigh. "I suppose I'm a little tired."

"Good. Get under here and go to sleep."

Tamsin obeyed, thinking that as long as she and Bo kept their distance on the bed she'd be fine. But the succubus decided to curl up against the Valkyrie again, throwing an arm across her waist. "G'night, Tamsin."

Tamsin couldn't breathe – had to _force _herself to breathe. Aching with the knowledge that she may never have more than this, she accepted what she could, pulling the succubus into her embrace. "G'night, Bo."

…

_Bo was dreaming._

_She was back in that dark room – that blue-lit room with the elaborate, canopied crib. She was being carried, but she wasn't. She was watching, but she wasn't. The shadow was carrying her, placing the baby in the crib. And then _he _was the one watching, staring down at her with both pride and malice._

"_Mo pháiste," the deep voice resonated. "I have such plans for you."_

…

Bo sat up with a gasp, and her movement woke the Valkyrie beside her. "What, Bo, what is it?"

"I think…" the succubus tried to gather her thoughts. "It was a dream. A weird, _weird _dream." She paused before asking, "Tamsin, do you speak Irish at all?"

The Valkyrie rubbed sleep from her eyes as she tried to process what was going on. "A little, why?"

"Does 'mo fawshta' mean anything?"

"'_Mo pháiste_'? It means 'my child.' Why, where'd you hear that?"

Bo didn't answer as her thoughts became suspicions she couldn't help but dread. "Tamsin…is it possible that the Wanderer is my father?"

* * *

><p>Language lesson time! (breaks out college notes):<p>

I'ma try to keep this as simple as possible. Irish is weird in that when you put a possessive before a word, some words take extra letters. So separately, "mo" ("moe") means "my" and "páiste" ("PAWSH-tuh") means "child." But when you put them together, you get "mo pháiste" ("FAWSH-tuh"), because the "p" takes an extra letter.

I listened to the soundtrack from the movie _Ink _while writing this, particularly the song "Jacob's Chain." Have a listen, if you like.


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

**AN: **I try not to make these things too OC-heavy, but I need a few for purposes of the plot, so I'm borrowing from my other story again. I'll try to keep the OCs to the side, though.

* * *

><p>Tamsin wasn't sure she heard the succubus correctly. "Your…father? Bo, you had a <em>dream<em>."

"But it was the same dream I had before my Dawning, and _during _my Dawning. And where else would I have heard that phrase?"

"You might have seen it in what you were reading yesterday," Tamsin argued.

"But there's no _way _I could've pronounced it correctly. I got a glance of the _Táin _when Kenzi passed it to Trick and I couldn't read shit."

Tamsin sat up with a sigh, rubbing her eyes again. "Whatever you're dreaming about is probably just a reaction to everything going on, ok? It's not that unusual."

"Why won't you believe me?!" Bo cried, actually grabbing her pillow and hitting the Valkyrie with it. "I know it's stupid and maybe doesn't make sense and is maybe impossible but what if it _is _possible! Think about it, Tamsin! He had to be able to get me on the Death Train in the first place and wouldn't he have to reach through the veil to do that? Wouldn't that mean that there was already a tear in the veil that my mom could've been taken through and escaped through with me?"

Tamsin's heart twisted in her chest as she was slammed with the weight of her guilt. She'd never told Bo what the Rune Glass was for. Never told her how it was she'd been able to be taken. Bo may have torn the veil by jumping from the Train, but Tamsin was just as much at fault for putting her there as the Wanderer was.

"Hey, hey," Tamsin soothed, rubbing the succubus's shoulders. "I don't _not _believe you. It just seems really impossible. There's still a lot we don't know and still a lot we have to find out, but I don't want you to be scared of something that might not be true."

Bo let out a shuddering sigh as she fell into Tamsin's embrace, wrapping her arms around the Valkyrie's neck. Tamsin drew her back down to lie against the pillows. "Go back to sleep, Bo."

The succubus relented, snuggling closer to Tamsin, but after a moment of silence, she whispered, "I'm not scared. Not so long as I have you."

Tamsin closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall, struggling to keep control of her emotions. By the time she had calmed, Bo had fallen asleep. The Valkyrie watched her for a moment before pressing a kiss to her hair. "I will always watch over you, _mo laoch_."

…

Kayleigh was waiting for Tamsin at a booth in the Dal but she wasn't expecting the Valkyrie to have a human in tow. "Yours?" she asked.

"Hey, I am a free woman," Kenzi protested. "Unless it gets me in trouble. Then I'm Bo's."

Kayleigh's eyebrows touched her hairline. "Bo? The Unaligned Succubus? Wow, Tamsin, you're really keeping fine company these days, aren't you?"

"Momz, this is Kayleigh. Kayleigh, Kenzi."

"Momz?" the empath repeated, eyebrows rising even higher.

Tamsin rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. "She…kind of raised me at the beginning of this life cycle."

"Nice to meet you," Kenzi said as she extended her hand. Kayleigh just looked at it for a moment before looking back up at the Russian.

"You're so human it's cute," Kayleigh chuckled. "No one _ever _touches an empath without permission."

Kenzi folded her arms over her chest and arched an eyebrow. "Permission to bitchslap?"

"I like you. Tamsin, I like her." Kayleigh held her hand up for a high five, which Kenzi returned with a smirk before she and the Valkyrie slid onto the opposite bench. "So, more questions?"

"All the deets you got," Kenzi replied.

"I would be surprised that you're in the loop but I can feel the strength of your affection for each other."

Kenzi's eyes widened. "So you're some scary, thought-reading-and-feeling Fae? Like what's-her-face's daughter?"

Kayleigh laughed. "I think I know exactly whose daughter you're talking about. I can't read your mind, though. Empaths read and feed off of other people's emotions. We can sense what people are feeling and how strong that feeling is. You two have an obvious connection that's almost parental on your side, so hearing that you're 'momz' makes sense."

"So why can't people touch you without permission?"

"Our senses heighten through touch and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Not many people want to be in contact with empaths anyway, though because of the nature of our power."

Tamsin smirked. "You should watch her walk through a room – everyone moves out of the way."

"Dude, for realz?" Kenzi exclaimed, gaping at Kayleigh. It was the empath's turn to smirk.

"Tell you what – I'll go get us some beer and you can see for yourself."

Kenzi watched as the empath got to her feet and made her way to the bar. Nearby Fae instinctively moved away from her, causing a ripple effect in the crowd again. The Fae drifted back together after a minute or two but immediately parted again as Kayleigh made her way back with three pints of beer. "That's _awesome_!" the human grinned as the empath sat down and passed the drinks around.

"Glad you think so. Most people do it out of fear instead of respect for our sensitivity, though. I actually met Tamsin because she was the one person who didn't move away from me when I sat down at the bar."

"Sounds like my Lil' T," Kenzi quipped, throwing an arm around Tamsin's shoulder. The Valkyrie rolled her eyes and shoved her off. "So what makes you the expert on…this slight problem?"

"Well, to answer that I have to continue with how the two of us met. Tamsin cast doubt on this creeper that was coming onto her and made him crawl out of the bar sobbing. I said something like 'nicely done' and she looked right at me, but I didn't flinch. She knew that meant I'd seen a Valkyrie's face enough times not to be fazed, so we got to talking and it turns out she knew my mother."

"Alexandra," Tamsin nodded. "I saw her take off six heads with one swing of her longsword back in the American Rev. We lost touch after that, so I'd heard that she'd found herself a husband and a kid, but I'd never met either until I ran into Kayleigh about five years back."

"So when you say she found a husband…" Kenzi began, her lips curving into a wry smile.

"And that's what Tamsin asked me yesterday," Kayleigh brought the story back around. "And I'll tell you what I told her: not all Valkyries who get married Fall, nor do they necessarily Rise."

"But your parents did?"

Kayleigh nodded with a proud smile. "They did indeed. And now you want me to tell you everything I know about it, right?"

"All the deets," Kenzi repeated with a smirk.

Kayleigh canted her head to the side and gave her a long look. "Ok," she shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

There was a pause as both human and Valkyrie frowned. "Um…I'm not sure we actually thought that far ahead…" Tamsin admitted, and Kayleigh laughed.

"Start simple, then."

"Did your mom Fall when she met your dad?" Kenzi asked.

"The way she told it, she said she fell the moment she looked into his eyes, but she didn't actually Fall until about a week later. She didn't tell him, though – didn't want to pressure him into anything, even though they'd already begun a relationship."

"When _did _she tell him?"

"They were stuck in some crevasse outside some battle somewhere and she had to fly them both out. When he saw her wings, she had to explain the whole thing to him. He accepted the bond right then."

"There's no ritual or something? No bonding 'I do' vows?"

Kayleigh shrugged again. "There are, but apparently they're different for everyone." The empath chuckled. "Mom said that when she finished explaining things to Dad he got down on one knee, pulled a ring out of his back pocket, and said 'I've been meaning to ask you if I could keep you in my life forever' and she smiled at him and said 'You already have me, you idiot.' And then her wings turned white."

"Aww!" Kenzi gushed, and it was Kayleigh's turn to roll her eyes. "So they're off on adventures living on into eternity?"

The empath's smile faded. "Not quite," she murmured.

Realizing she'd crossed a line, Kenzi stammered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean – "

"No, it's ok," Kayleigh cut her off. "If you want to know everything then you need to hear everything. Just because a Valkyrie and a warrior are bonded doesn't mean something can't happen to them. For my parents… It was World War II. Dad had been drafted, and Mom wasn't about to leave him or me, so I went with them to the battlefield. Most of the generals were Fae who knew us, so they let us stay. Dad and I took away fear and Mom inspired courage. When the battle was over and the guns had stopped firing, Dad hadn't come back, so Mom and I went out to look for him. We found him dying, a gunshot wound in his stomach and no way to stop the inevitable. Mom showed her face and spread her wings. They both squeezed my hands and told me to be good. She bent to kiss him – to share his last breath – and then she wrapped her wings around him and took him Valhalla. Neither of them came back."

Silence settled around the trio. Tamsin reached out and took Kayleigh's hand, which the empath accepted with a smile. Not wanting the solemnity to linger too long, Kenzi changed the subject, hoping to brighten the mood. "So, uh, your dad was the empath?"

"Yup," Kayleigh replied, releasing Tamsin's hand and leaning back. "I think Mom was a little disappointed that I didn't turn out like her, but she still taught me everything she knew. She used to show me her true face when I was in trouble," she laughed. "Once I was old enough to start fighting the doubt on my own, she taught me the rest."

"You can fight it?" Kenzi asked, surprised.

"Not at full power," Kayleigh replied. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Tamsin, but Valkyries don't need to use their full power of doubt on people if they don't have to. If they _do_, it's enough to kill some of the most powerful of Fae within seconds. You can learn to resist it in small doses, but not at full force." When Tamsin nodded, Kayleigh continued, "The only exception is a Valkyrie's chosen warrior. They can resist any and all doubt the Valkyrie can project and oh – here's a little secret for you…" She bent forward and Tamsin and Kenzi did the same. "They can resist doubt that _any _Valkyrie projects."

Tamsin gaped at the empath. "They…what?!"

Kayleigh leaned back again with her hands behind her head. "True story. I saw it for myself when I was a kid. Mom was teaching me swordplay while Dad looked on and another Valkyrie came up and challenged Mom. Well, she didn't challenge her so much as put on her Valkyrie face and started throwing insults. Dad got up and walked towards the Valkyrie and she turned and cast so much doubt on him that even _I _could feel it. Dad didn't flinch, though. He marched right up to her and immediately tore her down."

"Tore her down how?" Kenzi frowned.

"Just with his words and his power. He could feel all her insecurities and hit her with every single one. It was his own way of casting doubt, I guess. Calm as you please he just laid all her worst feelings in front of her, some of which shocked even my mom. Turns out the Valkyrie was just jealous of the bond. The Valkyrie turned on her heel and never bothered us again. The story must've gotten around, 'cause sometimes when other Valkyries would walk past my dad they would give him a nod of respect. Mom thought the whole thing was hilarious, even though she practically swooned at the way Dad defended her."

"Alexandra? Swoon?" Tamsin repeated. "Now I _know _you're making this up."

"Believe what you like, Tamsin, but she had it bad for that man."

Kenzi lifted her pint. "Here's to Alexandra and…"

"Elisedd," Tamsin supplied for her.

"Elisedd," Kenzi repeated. The other two women lifted their glasses and clinked them to Kenzi's.

"May their combined wit bring many a headache to Valhalla," Kayleigh quipped. Tamsin chuckled as she remembered all the times Alexandra's deadpan humor had her doubled over laughing. The empath downed her drink in one long swig again to Kenzi's shock and delight.

"Daaaaamn, woman, you got skillz!"

"You should see me do shots," she smiled. "Now – back to the issue at hand. Does your warrior know and how does your warrior feel about you?" Kayleigh asked point-blank.

"Way to go in for the kill," Kenzi admired.

"It's what I do. Well?" the empath prodded.

Tamsin sighed. "She doesn't know and I have no idea how she feels about me."

"Uh, 'scuse me, she cares about you a lot more than you think she does."

"As a friend."

"Not as a friend."

"Ok, enough," Kayleigh held out her hands to stop them. "Next question: are you going to tell her or wait for her to find out at some most likely inopportune moment?"

Tamsin clenched her jaw. "I am ready to remain Fallen for the rest of my days if it means she has her freedom," Tamsin ground out.

"Not an answer," Kayleigh replied firmly. "She could want you for all you know. But at least you have time to find out."

"That's what _I _said!" Kenzi smacked Tamsin's shoulder.

"Listen to the human. It's rare that I say things like that, but listen to the human." Far from being offended, Kenzi snorted her amusement. "If your worry and heartache are anything to go by, you've Fallen _hard_, and I for one am _not _going to let you live out your life in this pain."

"What do you mean 'let me'?" Tamsin retorted with a scowl. "You can't make me do anything."

"Jesus, you sound like a petulant child. Get it together, Tam. The human and I are gonna help you through this whether you like it or not."

"Also what I said," Kenzi smirked in triumph.

Tamsin buried her face in her hands. "Fine. Meddle in my life. See if I care. It's not going to do much good, anyway."

Kayleigh had opened her mouth to reply when she stopped, canting her head to the side. After sensing for a moment, she turned to see who was approaching and her gaze stopped Bo in her tracks. "Hi?" the succubus offered.

"Hey, Bo!" Kenzi greeted with as much cheer as she could fake.

"Who's your friend?" she asked Tamsin, and Kayleigh had to hide her amusement at the jealousy in her tone.

"Bo, Kayleigh. Kayleigh, Bo," Tamsin introduced.

"Nice to meet you," Bo held out her hand.

"You can't touch an empath without permission," Kenzi piped up, and Kayleigh nearly burst out laughing.

"It's fine," the empath said, reaching out and shaking Bo's hand. "Nice to meet you, too." She maintained her grip for a moment with a curious frown before letting go, glancing at Tamsin as she did.

"So, uh, Trick wants our help looking up more stuff on the sídhe."

Kayleigh frowned again. "What are you researching the sídhe for?"

"Oh, _well _done, succubus," Tamsin scolded with dripping sarcasm. "Way to keep a secret."

"Sorry?" Bo squeaked out guiltily.

"Chill, Tamsin. I don't care why you're looking them up; I ask 'cause I might be able to help you. My girlfriend's an empath, but her brother's sídhe – a gancanagh."

"Bless you," Bo said, only half-joking. Kayleigh rolled her eyes and Tamsin had to bite back her laughter.

Kenzi wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Wait, so they're half-siblings? How does that work?"

"Fae genetics aren't my thing, but we tend to inherit one of our parent's powers," Kayleigh replied. "It's why I'm an empath and not half-and-half. Aislinn's mom was an empath but her dad was a gancanagh, and so her brother is, too."

"You're dating an empath? Way to live on the wild side," Tamsin teased.

Kayleigh's responding grin was almost a leer. "It has its perks, believe you me."

"I'll just bet."

"Soooo, can you talk to them for us? Maybe have them meet us here?" Bo interrupted.

The empath nodded. "Sure, no bother. I was planning to head to Aislinn's after this, anyway, so I'll ask her then."

"Thanks!" Bo grinned. "Anyway, you two coming?"

"Right behind you, Bo-Bo," Kenzi replied, getting up and following the succubus. "Nice meeting you, empath."

"You, too, human," Kayleigh called after her. Tamsin had gotten up and was about to follow as well when the empath grabbed her wrist. "Her?" she asked, a disbelieving grin on her face. "Really? _Her_?"

Tamsin wrenched her hand away with a scowl. "Leave it, Kayleigh."

The empath folded her arms across her chest. "You know…not that it's any of my business…but the human's right: she _does _care for you, and as more than just a friend."

"I can't get my hopes up, K."

"Not yet, T. Not yet." The empath stood and clapped her friend on the shoulder. "I'll call you when I talk to Aislinn."

Once again, Tamsin watched Kayleigh clear a path through the Dal and out the door. Only when she was gone did the Valkyrie head for Trick's lair with a conflicted sigh, bringing her and Kenzi's beer with her. With the way things were going, they would need it.

* * *

><p>"Aislinn" is pronounced "ASH-lin." I'm willing to bet that "Ashlyn" is a modernizedAmericanized form of the name.

I'm not telling you what "mo laoch" means. Yet.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

**AN: **I'm glad everyone seems to like Kayleigh, 'cause she's coming back later with a couple friends. More mythology to follow. If it's starting to get confusing, please let me know and I'll try to tone it down some.

* * *

><p>Kenzi bounced down the stairs into Trick's Lair while Bo and Tamsin followed at a slightly more subdued pace. "Hit us up, Giles," the human said as she flopped down onto the long couch.<p>

"Huh?" Trick asked, thoroughly confused. Bo and Tamsin were biting their lips to stifle their laughter.

"It's a pop culture reference," Kenzi explained, and the statement was so meta that Bo couldn't contain her giggles any longer. Trick scowled at both of them.

"Sorry," Bo managed, trying to school her face into neutrality again. Her grandfather shot her one last glare before bringing his books out again.

"Bo, Kenzi, I need you to call Lauren and Dyson and put them on speakerphone. Dyson and Hale are in the Light Archives and Lauren and the Morrigan are in the Dark Archives, so this way we can all have contact with each other and share our findings." As the two women nodded and started making the calls, Tamsin took the opportunity to slide the book she'd pilfered back onto its shelf. The majority of it had been gross speculation about Valkyries and what little there had been on the bond was everything she already knew. As preferable as it was for the secrets of Valkyries to be unwritten, it was equally frustrating.

"_Can you hear me?" _Dyson's voice came through Kenzi's phone.

"_This isn't a Verizon commercial, wolf-boy," _Evony's sarcasm echoed from Bo's mobile.

"Told you they'd start arguing the second they answered," Kenzi smirked at Tamsin, who matched her expression.

Bo rolled her eyes. "Save the feud for later; we have more important things to worry about. Right – who's focusing on what?"

"_Most of the information in the Dark Archives outlines the nature of the Tuatha themselves, but not a lot of history," _Lauren spoke. Tamsin couldn't help but note the way Bo tensed at the familiarity with which the human talked about the Dark Archives.

"_The Light have less on the Tuatha but more on the ancient sídhe. It took us a good long time, but we found some varying accounts of the first tearing of the veil, and I do mean varying," _Hale said, both annoyed and impressed.

"Let me guess: everyone wants the credit for the heroic deeds?" Bo asked.

"_Just about."_

"Right, well, we've got the Tuatha family tree here and some more of the history," the succubus continued.

"_You know this is unprecedented and insane, don't you?" _the Morrigan commented. _"Light and Dark working together? _Sharing _information? This is how you know we're _really _in trouble."_

"_Didn't sídhe both Light and Dark come together to fix the tearing of the veil the first time?" _Dyson noted.

"_Sídhe are sídhe," _the Morrigan protested.

"And right now, Fae are Fae. So just stop arguing and start reading."

"_Big words, succubus. You'd better have a book in your lap, too."_

"I've been looking through this spider web of a family tree," Bo groused.

"If you think _that's _a spider web you should see Greek pantheon," Tamsin told her. "That's a web even Arachne wouldn't want to spin."

"Who and what?"

"Nevermind, baby Fae. Just get back to climbing your tree."

"_Hey, I found something on the battle, but it's not much,"_ Dyson spoke up. _"It says here the ground was stained white and red."_

"White?" Bo repeated in confusion.

"_The ancient sídhe and Tuatha bled white," _the Morrigan explained. _"Ask the Valkyrie – she's probably killed a few."_

Tamsin rolled her eyes, even though she knew Evony couldn't see it. "You said it yourself – I wasn't invited to that battle."

"_Maybe not _that _one, but didn't you say you were at the battle with the Milesians? Whose side did you fight on then?"_

"_Enough_," Trick warned. "Save your petty squabbles for later."

"_Anyone find anything that might identify the Wanderer as sídhe or one of the Tuatha?"_ Hale queried.

"If this family tree is anything to go by, he's not one of the Tuatha," Bo replied. "It seems like everyone on this tree is dead except for Mór Ríoghan."

"_Yeah, but they're still in the Otherworld," _Evony retorted. _"Tír na nÓg houses a lot of dead warriors, but the rest of the dead go to the Red Palace, ruled by Dunn. There are a lot of theories as to where in the Otherworld it is, but it _is _in the Otherworld."_

"So one of the Tuatha could have escaped?"

"That's _doubtful, but not all of the Tuatha marked dead are actually dead. Well, only one that I can think of."_

"Which one?"

"_Dagda, who was Lord of the Tuatha for a long time. It was said he died in his home at Brú na Bóinne, but there's no actual record of his death."_

"Help?" Bo pleaded to Trick.

"Brú na Bóinne sort of encompasses all the stone tombs in the Boyne Valley in Ireland, but it's most commonly used to refer to Newgrange, the most famous of the tombs," Tamsin answered instead. "Dagda was one of the only Tuatha not to be murdered or killed in battle, so it's entirely possible that he didn't actually die."

"What, being killed was the only way to die in ancient Ireland?" the succubus quipped.

The Valkyrie shrugged. "Ancient everywhere, really."

"Ok. So. The Wanderer _could _be one of the Tuatha. _Great_." Bo slumped back on the couch. "How long have we been at this? I have a headache."

"Not even a half-hour, Bo-Bo," Kenzi replied sounding just as weary. "Longest half-hour of my life."

"No, that's when you're hungover," Bo corrected her.

"True."

"Have you found anything else on the battle?" Trick cut them off.

"_Nada," _Lauren replied, and the others could almost hear her shoulders slump.

"_Nothing here, either," _Dyson replied. _"What we need is someone who was at that battle or someone who knew someone there. The nature of Irish lore is storytelling, not writing. What Irish Fae history we do have was written down long after the fact."_

"Well, Tamsin's friend has a friend who's a gan-ka-nock or something," Bo spoke up.

"_Ugh, gancanaghs," _the Morrigan groaned. _"Suck-ups all of them. Not even _remotely _charming."_

"Maybe not to another sídhe," Tamsin theorized.

"_Whatever, Valkyrie just – "_

A low growl from someone's end cut her off, rendering everyone deathly silent. "Dyson, _please _tell me that was you," Bo all but begged.

"_Not me," _the shifter replied, just as wary.

"_No, it's coming from our side," _came Lauren's voice, an octave higher than usual. _"How did they get _in_?"_

"_I don't know, but we've got to get _out_," _the Morrigan shot back.

A bark that sounded more like a roar sounded through the phone's speaker followed by a series of crashes and Lauren yelling for Evony to run. Bo and Tamsin leapt to their feet, Bo grabbing her phone as she did so. "We're on our way!"

"_The Archives are always in the compounds! We'll meet you there!" _Hale called, and the others could hear the sound of running on their end as well.

"_You can't come to the Dark Archives!" _Evony protested in a shrill voice.

"We're coming to get you whether you like it or not!" Bo shouted into her phone before racing up the stairs and out the Dal with Tamsin close on her heels.

* * *

><p>For the non-Buffy fans wondering why Kenzi's comment was meta, "It's a pop culture reference" is a direct quote from the show.<p>

**Glossary:**

Dagda: Pronounced "DAG-da" (nice and simple for once). Lord of Plenty and leader of the Tuatha for a long time. It was said he died in...

Brú na Bóinne: Pronounced "BROO na BOYNE." The area of the Boyne Valley in County Meath, Ireland that houses three passage tombs: Knowth, Dowth, and Newgrange. I'm taking a wild guess about Dagda dying in Newgrange specifically, as most people associate that particular tomb with the term Brú na Bóinne.

Dunn/The Red Palace: Dunn was the Tuatha who reigned as Lord of the Dead in his keep The Red Palace. There's no Wikipedia entry that I can find; I'm getting this from the book _Legendary Ireland_.

gancanagh (as I forgot last chapter): Pronounced "GAN-ka-noch" (soft "ch"/"gh"). A male sídhe known for seducing women. Ancient Irish pipes (the smoking kind, not the musical kind) were called "gancanagh's pipes."


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

Thanks to Tamsin's driving, she and Bo arrived at the Dark compound first, and Bo leapt out of the truck before it could come to a complete stop. Tamsin remembered to put the thing into park before she too hit the ground running. They sprinted up the long drive to find two Dark Fae guards running to meet them. "We've been expecting you," the first man said. Bo grabbed him by the front of the shirt and slammed him into the wall by the elaborate archway he'd just come through.

"_Where are they?!" _the succubus and Valkyrie demanded.

"Hospital wing," the guard replied meekly. "Through the door, two rights and then your second left."

With a smack to the chest but no word of thanks, Bo and Tamsin sprinted into the compound, following the guard's directions until they reached a wing filled with exam rooms and medical equipment. Hearing voices coming from one of the halls, the two women bolted in that direction and came to a screeching halt in front of the first open door.

"Oh!" Bo exclaimed softly, shoulders slumping in dismay as she took in the sight before her.

Evony was sitting on an exam table as Lauren treated a deep gash along her calf. That wasn't what bothered the succubus, though. What bothered her was that the Morrigan and the doctor were locked in a passionate kiss, Lauren's arms around Evony's waist while the Dark Fae wove her fingers through the human's hair. They broke apart at Bo and Tamsin's entrance, Lauren with guilty horror and Evony with smug amusement.

"About time you got here," the Morrigan snarked. "Some rescuers you are."

"You're lucky we came here at all," Tamsin shot back, but Bo said nothing, still staring at Lauren. After a moment, she turned and left the room without a word, shaking her head in confused shock.

"Bo, wait!" Lauren called, running after her.

The two Dark Fae watched them go before turning to each other. "That kiss wouldn't have been a purposeful move, would it?" Tamsin inquired, her voice casual but challenging.

Evony smirked. "Believe what you want, Valkyrie. Now go eavesdrop like I know you want to."

Tamsin wasn't bothered by the Morrigan's very correct assumption. While Evony continued to clean up her leg, the blonde backed towards the doorway and listened in on the inevitably awkward conversation taking place.

"Bo, I'm sorry, it's not – "

"No, Lauren, it's ok," the succubus cut her off. "What we had ended a long time ago. It's none of my business who you sleep with."

"It's not like that, Bo. It's nothing serious."

"I saw the way you were looking at her, Lauren." Bo's voice was gentle and understanding. "If that's what you want, then I won't stand in your way."

"I'll always love you. You know that." The doctor's words widened the cracks in Tamsin's already fragile heart.

"And I'll always love you, Lauren, but not the way I did before. Not the way _we _did before. You'll always be special to me, but we can't hold onto what's already gone." Tamsin could almost hear the succubus put her hand on the doctor's shoulders. "Be happy, Lauren. Don't let me stand in your way."

There was silence for a moment before Lauren spoke again. "Thanks, Bo." Her voice was heavy with unshed tears.

Tamsin and Evony decided they'd heard enough and left the room just in time to see Bo give Lauren one last hug with a kind smile on her face. When the two turned to meet the approaching Dark Fae – Evony walking with a limp – Lauren immediately rushed to the Morrigan's side. Wrapping her arm around Evony's waist, the doctor pulled the Fae's arm over her shoulder so she could take the weight off her injured leg. The Morrigan was surprised by the overt show of affection, but she didn't question it.

Bo sighed, and in that sigh she let Lauren go.

Dyson and Hale chose that moment to come jogging towards them. When they saw the way Lauren and Evony were standing they both blinked in shock, but neither commented. "Did you see what it was that attacked you?" Dyson asked.

"Not very clearly, but they were some kind of dog," Lauren replied. "Really, _really _big dogs."

"Where'd they go?"

"That's just it – they _vanished_. They chased us out of the Archives and one of them managed to claw Evony, but then they just stopped. When we turned to look, they were gone."

"Why would they attack you and then leave like that?" Bo wondered, frowning.

"Another warning, maybe?" Tamsin guessed. "But if they were chasing you, it suggests that you were their targets."

"But they _vanished_," Evony retorted.

"Which could mean they realized you were the _wrong_ targets," Tamsin continued.

"Any description you can give us besides 'big dogs,' 'cause we're kind of standing next to one now," Bo quipped.

"Hey!" Dyson protested as the others tried not to laugh.

"There was one really weird thing," Lauren noted. "They were trailing water, like they'd just come out of a lake or something."

"If you show me where they were then maybe I can track them," the shifter offered.

"Ohhhh, no," the Morrigan cut him off. "You aren't getting anywhere _near _the Dark Archives."

"Could you track them from the cut on Evony's leg?" Tamsin asked.

"Also a big no. I am _not _having that man sniff my leg; I'm afraid he'll pee on it."

Bo, Lauren, and Hale completely lost it, doubled over with laughter. "Really?" Dyson protested, his voice becoming an angry growl.

"Down, boy," Evony replied, unable to hold back her own grin. "Lighten up, Light Fae. Chances are they'll be coming back – if not for us, for one of you, so be on your guard."

"Come on, Evony, you have to rest," Lauren insisted, trying to guide her to the living quarters.

"I'm _fine_, human."

"Right. And I'm not medically qualified enough to tell you that you're not. Let's go." Evony gave an exasperated, exaggerated sigh, but followed nonetheless. Bo took that as her cue to head for the exit, and Dyson jogged after her, calling for the succubus to wait up.

"Ten bucks," said Hale.

"Not even betting," replied Tamsin. The two Fae crept just far enough down the hall for a second round of eavesdropping.

"Bo, listen – "

"Not now, Dyson."

"Look, I just want you to know I'm here for you."

"…Ex-_cuse _me?!"

"If you need to talk or – "

The sound of a hard slap echoed back to the siren and Valkyrie, and both winced.

"How _dare _you. _Five minutes _I've known about those two and you're already trying to get back in. Really Dyson? You're really going to stoop that low?"

"Bo – "

"_No_, Dyson! What, you figure that now that Lauren's out of the way you'll come in and stake your claim? Leave me alone. Just…leave me alone."

Bo stormed off with such vehemence that Hale and Tamsin heard her shoes clacking on the tile floor. Both Fae took that as their cue to follow, Hale throwing a sympathetic arm around the kicked puppy's shoulder while Tamsin went after the succubus. The Valkyrie found her leaning against the truck with a defeated look on her face.

"Can we go home?"

"Sure thing, succulette."

Only when they were halfway back to Tamsin's place did the significance of her words hit the Valkyrie with a clue-by-four. Bo had called her apartment _home_. Tamsin felt her heart reach out to the succubus but forced the pull aside. Still, when Bo got out of the truck, Tamsin flinched at the force of the pain in her chest.

…

Tamsin woke to the feel of someone running their hand along her arm. "Bo?" she mumbled as she tried to wake.

"Shh," the succubus whispered, not ceasing her touch. The glide of skin against skin was forbidden heaven, but Tamsin couldn't let herself feel it.

"Bo, what's wrong?"

"I…I just…" And then her mouth was on Tamsin's.

The Valkyrie couldn't stop the whimper that escaped her as Bo's lips met hers, soft and warm and sweet. It was everything Tamsin remembered from Brazenwood and more: fire and life and passion, but also overwhelming sadness and desperation. The blonde was drowning in the movements of the kiss, but was jolted back to wakefulness at the feel of Bo's tongue sweeping along her bottom lip.

"Bo, wait – " Tamsin pulled back.

"I need you, Tamsin, please…"

Bo tried to kiss her again, but Tamsin put her hands on the succubus's shoulders and pushed her back. Were it any other night at any other time she would have given herself to Bo without a second thought. But the succubus wasn't coming to her because of _her _– she was coming to her because she was hurt. Tamsin knew the feeling all too well: the desire to try and feel something when all you could feel was numbness. The yearning need to feel like _someone _could bring you joy when you could find none. The Valkyrie had been to that dark place more than once and each time had tried to heal the way Bo was trying now. It only left her feeling worse: hollow and empty and ashamed.

"Bo, this isn't what you need," Tamsin murmured. "I know it feels like you do, but you can't. If you do this, you'll regret it in the morning."

"I could never regret you," the succubus gasped, still fighting to press herself against the Valkyrie. Those words nearly broke Tamsin's resolve, but she held firm.

"I will always be here for you. You know that. But not like this. Not this way." Tamsin ran her hands along Bo's arms in a soothing, calming motion, kissing her forehead. "You're hurting, Bo. You want this because you're hurting. I know, I _understand_. But this isn't the way to fix it. I don't want you to wake up hating yourself. I can't let you do that to yourself. I won't let anybody hurt you, and that means keeping you from hurting yourself, too."

Tamsin could feel Bo shivering beneath her palms, and she could just barely make out her tears in the darkness. "But you'll be here for me?" Her voice quivered.

"Whenever you need me."

"It hurts," Bo cried, falling into Tamsin's embrace. The Valkyrie held her tight, rubbing her back as she sobbed. "I've let her go and I've accepted it but it _hurts_."

"And it will, for a little while. But you will make peace with this," Tamsin soothed. "But for now, just let go. It's ok. I've got you."

Bo broke down in Tamsin's arms, sobbing her grief and regret and resigned acceptance. The Valkyrie murmured soft comfort as she stroked her hair, rocking her back and forth. In the safety of night and Tamsin, Bo cried herself into exhaustion, the Valkyrie holding her through every tear.

"Thank you." The succubus sighed raggedly. "For knowing me better than I know myself."

"Anytime, Bo."

"You'll be here when I wake up?" she pleaded in a small voice.

"Always."

For the third night in a row, Bo slept soundly, wrapped around the Valkyrie. And for the third night, Tamsin lay awake, the words left unsaid dancing circles in her mind.

_Always, mo laoch._

_My warrior._

* * *

><p>So now you have your translation for "mo laoch." A couple people looked it up and found "my hero," which is also correct. I wrote this song to my Blackmore's Night Pandora station before settling on their song "Castles and Dreams" for the ending. Definitely give it a listen; it's <em>gorgeous<em>.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

**AN: **Wow, two chapters in one day. I can't seem to stop writing! Anyway, I'm borrowing/modifying some of my own stuff again, so a piece in here might be familiar.

* * *

><p>Bo woke with her arms around Tamsin's waist and her face tucked into the crook of her neck. The succubus instinctively snuggled closer, and the Valkyrie tightened her embrace, placing a kiss to Bo's hair. "You're awake?" the brunette mumbled.<p>

"A little," Tamsin replied, voice husky with sleep. "How're you feeling?"

"Better, I guess," Bo realized. "I…you helped."

Tamsin was glad that Bo couldn't see her blush. "Anytime, succulette."

The silence soon grew too thick, and Tamsin disentangled herself from Bo's arms so she could roll out of bed. "Tell you what – you take a shower and I'll go downstairs and make us breakfast."

"You cook?" Bo asked, surprised. "I've only ever seen you eat cereal. And vodka."

Tamsin chuckled as she left the room. "I'm a woman of many talents, succubabe."

Bo fell back on the bed as she listened to the Valkyrie's footsteps descend the stairs. Now that she was alone, she could examine Tamsin's room a little more closely. It was the only room in her apartment that wasn't almost completely bare. Instead of a dresser, Tamsin had small cupboards along the wall topped by bookshelves packed haphazardly with tomes of all types. There was no particular order to any of them, but Bo had the feeling that Tamsin could tell her exactly where each title was. The Valkyrie had a nightstand with a lamp on each side of the queen-sized bed and a weapons chest at the end of it, wide and deep and packed with God-knows-how many swords and maces and the like. There was a tall wooden wardrobe in the corner with a halberd propped against it along with a tower shield. Bo chuckled at the sight: only Tamsin could make warfare seem so domestic. Curious, she stood from the bed and tried the handle on the wardrobe to find it locked. She probably could have picked it, but she didn't want to invade Tamsin's privacy more than she was already.

She had turned back to look at the bed when out of the corner of her eye Bo noticed that not all of Tamsin's books were novels: a handful of notebooks were propped up on the lowermost left shelf. Curious, Bo pulled one out and found it to be filled with Tamsin's handwriting. Most of the writing was a jumble of symbols that Bo could only assume was runic Norse, but the succubus would recognize that lilting scrawl anywhere.

Figuring there was no harm in browsing if she couldn't understand any of it, Bo looked through another notebook of scribbles only to find that the symbols were now formatted in stanzas. _Poetry? _Bo wondered, tracing the letters. _Tamsin writes poetry? _Flipping through further, Bo found a few pages with letters she recognized, though the words still seemed to be in different languages. Tamsin _did _write poetry, it seemed, including some that Bo now recognized as Irish. Only when she was nearly at the end of the book did she find something in English.

The words were almost impossible to read, many written in the margins as almost all the lines had been unforgivingly struck through. Only two stanzas were really readable, and even they had cross-outs and mark-ups all over them. Bo had to squint, but she could just barely make out what seemed to be the end of the poem:

_I vow to her my sword and shield,  
><em>_In her light, I will shine,  
><em>_My love, my life, my warrior,  
><em>_My Valkyrie is thine._

_I love her with all that I am,  
><em>_And loving her has saved me.  
><em>_I will give her my forever  
><em>_If only she will have me._

Something about the words twisted her heart, and looking at the top corner of the page, Bo saw that the poem had been written barely a month ago. She bit her lip as she pondered the words. Who could Tamsin be talking about? Was it that girl Kayleigh she'd seemed so friendly with? It couldn't have been: Bo had heard them talk about Kayleigh's girlfriend. But that didn't mean there wasn't unrequited love there. Kenzi? No way: the Valkyrie loved the human, to be sure, but as "momz." There was only one other person Bo could think of, and the thought gave her wild, desperate hope she would never admit.

_She can't possibly think of me like that, _Bo sighed to herself, replacing the notebook and going to take a shower.

When Bo was done and dressed, she came downstairs to find that Tamsin had laid out omelets for both of them and was halfway through hers. "Peppers but no cheese, right?" the Valkyrie confirmed.

"You remembered," Bo grinned in delight, sitting down and digging into her breakfast. "Lemme guess," she spoke around a mouthful. "Yours is bacon and cheese?"

Tamsin smirked. "Only way to go," she confirmed. Polishing off her meal at record speed, the Valkyrie hopped down from the stool at the kitchen counter and took her plate to the dishwasher. "I'm gonna take a shower and then Trick wants us down at the Dal _again_. At this rate we'll be moving in."

"Tamsin," Bo stopped her before she reached the stairs. "How many languages do you speak?"

The Valkyrie frowned. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just…you said you knew a little bit of Irish, and I just wondered what else you knew," Bo explained, leaving out the part about seeing her notebook.

"Well, by 'a little' I actually meant 'fluently,'" Tamsin admitted. "English, obviously, but I grew up speaking old Norse, so now I'm pretty good with Norwegian. Then there's Dutch, German, Icelandic, and most of the other Scandinavian dialects. French, of course, but I never really got around to Italian or Spanish. Japanese, Chinese. Oh, and Latin, but nobody really speaks that anymore. There are probably a few others I'm forgetting." Bo gaped at her, making Tamsin shift uncomfortably. "What?"

"It's just…I can barely speak _one_!"

Tamsin chuckled. "I could always teach you stuff, succubus. All you have to do is ask."

"Well, considering the circumstances…could you maybe teach me some Irish?"

Tamsin grinned. "Sure thing, succulette. I'll have you reading the _Táin _in no time." With one last smile that made Bo's heart stumble in its rhythm, Tamsin began to make her way up the stairs.

"Wait!"

"What _now_?" Tamsin sounded exasperated, but her expression was still amused.

"How do you say 'thank you'?"

The Valkyrie regarded her for a long moment before replying, _"Go raibh maith agat."_

"Go rev ma-hagot," Bo repeated with a nod. "Well, _go raibh maith agat_. For breakfast."

Tamsin smiled again, and the joy in her expression was almost blinding. "You're welcome, Bo."

…

"'Sup, ladies?" Kenzi asked when Tamsin and Bo trooped down the stairs into Trick's Lair.

"Not much, short-stack," Tamsin replied, plopping onto the couch next to the human. Trick smiled at the two of them, and Bo smiled back.

"_Dia dhuit, mo sheanathair," _The succubus said, stumbling over the words a bit.

Kenzi nearly fell off the couch and Trick blinked in surprise. "_Dia is Muire dhuit_, Bo," he replied, slightly bemused.

"Dude, when did you start speaking Irish?" Kenzi demanded.

Bo blushed. "Um, Tamsin started teaching me a little bit on the drive over." Kenzi gave Tamsin a look that said "you so have it bad for this girl don't you dare deny it" and the Valkyrie gave her a shove.

"Well, it's a complicated language, but you should learn quickly enough. Reading it is much easier than speaking it, so we can go through these books together – "

Bo groaned. "I was afraid you'd say that." Trick's stern look was almost hurt. "But Trick…thank you. I'd love for you to teach me more. _Both _of you," she added, looking over at Tamsin.

"Right – feel-good moment time ends now," Kenzi cut in. "We have to figure out who let the dogs in." The human snickered at her own joke, but everyone else rolled their eyes.

"More to the point, we have to figure out _what _kind of dogs they were," Trick continued. "The fact that they left a trail of water should narrow things down."

"I've been thinking about that," Tamsin spoke up. "I think they might be – "

She was cut off by the sound of splintering wood upstairs followed by sharp scrabbling along the floor and menacing growls.

" – here!" the four of them shouted at once before springing into action.

Tamsin drew her sword while Bo pulled her dagger and Trick grabbed his quarterstaff out of the corner. "Kenzi, call Dyson and Hale," Bo ordered, and the human nodded, fumbling with her phone as the other three rushed upstairs to defend the Dal.

Bo, Tamsin, and Trick stumbled into the main bar and nearly into the invading creatures. They were indeed dogs, but unlike anything the group had ever seen. Their bodies stretched at least six feet long, and the Fae could see the play of muscles rippling under their fur. The creatures' legs were shorter than an average dog's, but the joints still bent backwards. Their paws stretched out nearly as long as a human's foot, and the claws were longer. Bo noted that the creatures' toes were webbed, which explained the trail of water behind them. The three hounds bared their teeth: thickly curved and sharp as needles.

"What _are _they?" Bo gasped in a combination of disgust and fear.

"Under-Fae of some sort," Trick replied.

"So just cast doubt on them," the succubus shot at Tamsin, not looking away from the creatures.

"Doubt doesn't work the same way on Under-Fae," Tamsin replied. "Sometimes it doesn't work on them at _all_."

"Oh, great. Good to know," Bo managed to be sarcastic despite the circumstances.

Apparently deciding the Fae had stalled enough, the three creatures attacked with roaring leaps.

Tamsin managed to slide away from hers even as she brought her sword across its shoulder. The creature howled in pain as white blood spurted from the wound and splashed across the floor. "They're _sídhe_!" Tamsin shouted. "They're not just Under-Fae, they're _ancient _Under-Fae!"

Bo swore as she dodged a swipe of the creature's paw, then another. She lashed out with her dagger, but the hound jumped back before surging forward again, fangs bared. Bo brought the pommel of her blade forward and smashed it into the creature's mouth, breaking and scattering a few teeth. More enraged than in pain, the creature slashed at Bo again and managed to cut four red lines across her shoulder.

Trick, meanwhile, had blocked his hound's every attack, swinging the quarterstaff in skillful circles. More than once the creature tried to break it, but to no avail. Using the beast's size against it, the Blood King ducked beneath the creature's head and swung his staff around the back of its neck. With a jump and a twist of the weapon, the hound's neck broke with a loud crack and it fell lifeless to the floor.

Tamsin was focusing half on Bo and half on her opponent. If she hadn't been keeping an eye on the succubus, the creature would be long dead, but the Valkyrie would never forgive herself if anything happened to her warrior. More than once she made a swipe at the hound attacking the succubus in an attempt to provoke it into attacking her instead, but the creature never took the bait. Tamsin failed to block a sweep of the creature's paw and growled her annoyance at the slice across her bicep. The sound made Bo turn to see what had happened and that was all the opportunity her hound needed to pounce, pinning her down. The succubus pushed the creature away with all her strength, the sound of Tamsin calling her name distant in her ears. The hound was gnashing its teeth trying to get to her head and Bo could feel its hot breath across her skin.

Trick moved to help but before he could attack, the remains of the Dal door banged open. A thick cloud of smoke rolled into the room, encompassing the hounds. The creatures staggered backwards, reeling at the new assault. Tamsin's hound swayed dazedly on its feet, but Bo's shook off the effects and lunged for her again. She was ready this time, bringing her dagger up just as the creature brought its head down. Driven to the hilt, the blade pieced upwards through its mouth and brain to break through its skull. The hound twitched once before sliding off the blade. Tamsin brought her sword down through the back of her hound's neck, severing its spine in one fluid motion. The battle was over as quickly as it had begun.

The smoke began to dissipate and the three Fae looked up to identify its source. A tall man with long, fair hair had his lips pursed as if exhaling from a pipe or a cigarette, only closing his mouth when the grey cloud had completely vanished. Behind him stood Kayleigh and a blonde woman of about the same height. The man looked around at the three bodies and then at the Fae standing over them.

"Wow, Kayleigh was right," he said with a flick of his hair, his voice carrying the hint of an Irish accent. "You _do _keep fine company."

* * *

><p>More language lessons:<p>

"Go raibh maith agat": Pronounced "go rev ma-hagot." "Thank you."

"Dia dhuit, mo sheanathair": Pronounced "dee-a hwit, mo shawn-a-har." "Dia dhuit" is the traditional Irish greeting meaning "God to you." "Mo sheanathair" means "my grandfather." This is another case where the word takes an extra letter, so the word for grandfather by itself is "seanathair."

"Dia is Muire dhuit": Pronounced "dee-a iss moor-uh hwit." Traditional response to traditional greeting meaning "God and Mary to you."


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

**AN: **Introducing the OCs. In my story "Feeling All the Feels" Dyson mentions knowing a gancanagh. Now you get to meet him. Also, I don't know how much I'll be able to update over the weekend and I know I won't have time on Monday. Depends on how much work takes out of me.

* * *

><p>Shocked silence covered the Dal as Bo, Tamsin, and Trick stared at the newcomers, who stared right back. Finally, Kayleigh smacked the blonde man upside the head. "Really? <em>That's <em>how you're going to introduce yourself?"

"Hey, I just participated in my very first epic battle," the man protested to the empath. "I think I'm allowed to be a little quippy. Now," he clapped his hands together, turning back to the others. "Let's see if I've got this right. You're most certainly Tamsin," he nodded to the Valkyrie, "the fine warrior over there must be Trick, the proprietor of this establishment," the man gave him a little bow, "and so you must be Bo," he finished to the succubus. "So where's…?"

Kenzi emerged from the stairwell and skidded to a halt next to Bo. Seeing the corpses of the three creatures, she yelped and stumbled backwards. "Holy shit!"

"Ah – you must be Kenzi," the man bowed. The human looked over at him and blinked.

"Heeelloooooo," she drew out as she gave the blonde a slow once-over.

"Oh God, don't encourage him," Kayleigh groaned.

"And you are?" Bo threatened, stepping forward with her dagger extended.

"Oh! Where _are _my manners?" The man held a hand to his chest. "I'm Fíonn; the lovely lady to my right is my sister, Aislinn," he gestured, "and you already know Kayleigh."

"Not that I don't appreciate your assistance, but what are you doing here?" Trick asked, though his tone suggested it was more of a demand.

"He's the gancanagh," Tamsin explained as she wiped her sword down with a rag.

"'The gancanagh'?" Fíonn repeated. "Should I be insulted by such dismissiveness?"

"As Evony said, not even remotely charming," Tamsin continued. Kayleigh and Aislinn gave a snort of laughter.

"You break my heart, fair Valkyrie," the gancanagh moaned in mock offense.

"E-_nough_," Kayleigh cut him off. "I don't suppose you have any idea what those are?" she pointed to the creatures still bleeding out on the floor.

"They look like dobhar-chú," Aislinn murmured, speaking for the first time.

"Of _course_," Trick groaned, rubbing his forehead. "That explains the water and their webbed feet."

"Someone wanna fill in the human and baby Fae?" Kenzi piped up. Bo elbowed her in the side. "What? You _are_."

"Dobhar-chú translates to 'water hound,'" Aislinn answered. "They're an ancient type of Under-Fae that are sort of half-otter, half-dog. They usually stay close to whatever body of water they call home, so these must have been sent after you."

Dyson and Hale burst through the broken door of the Dal and Kayleigh and Aislinn stepped aside to let them pass. "You're a little late to the parade," Kenzi noted.

"Again," Bo added with a hint of vitriol.

"Dyson!" Fíonn exclaimed in delight, holding out his arms. The shifter gaped at him in shocked delight.

"Fíonn!" The two men clasped hands and pounded each other's backs in the typical male fashion.

"You two know each other?" Bo asked, thoroughly confused.

"Fíonn and I spent time in Ireland together back in the 1800s," Dyson replied, still grinning at the gancanagh. "Boy loves his pipe."

"Which will _not _be smoked in here," Trick cut in.

"Are you sure?" Fíonn asked. "It's some of the good stuff."

"Which is precisely why it won't be smoked in here," Trick insisted, though he had a knowing smile on his face.

Fíonn held up his hands in acquiescence. "I completely respect that, sir."

"Um, in case you've all forgotten, there are three dobhar-chú corpses on the floor and we're here to talk about things that are apparently very important," Kayleigh cut in.

Bo pulled out her phone. "I'll call Lauren; she'll want to run tests on these things." As she waited for the doctor to pick up, she noticed that Kenzi, Tamsin, and Dyson were openly staring at her. "What?" she protested to the two women, ignoring the shifter completely. Tamsin's smile was filled with pride, and Bo couldn't help but blush as she smiled shyly in return.

Kenzi, meanwhile, had sauntered over to Dyson for the specific purpose of asking, "How's the doghouse feel, wolf?" before returning to Bo's side. Dyson's nostrils flared with anger, but he didn't retort.

Sensing the tension and deciding to cut through it, Fíonn clapped his hands again. "Right, before we get started, who's off-limits?"

"Everyone," Tamsin growled, taking a protective step closer to Bo. Kenzi and Kayleigh shot each other knowing smirks.

"You weren't kidding," Aislinn whispered to her girlfriend as she observed the dynamic between the Valkyrie and the succubus.

"It's gotten stronger since yesterday," Kayleigh noticed. "At this rate we'll be suffocating in it." Aislinn snorted her amusement and agreement.

"Aw, are you sure?" Fíonn was asking. "The human's so _cute_!"

Kenzi blushed and giggled, but Hale cleared his throat and took a provocative step towards the gancanagh. Fíonn held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry. Didn't know those were your toes I was stepping on."

Tamsin relaxed her stance and looked to see what Bo's reaction had been. The succubus hadn't been paying attention, instead examining the gashes on her shoulder. "Shit!" Tamsin exclaimed as she gently brushed her hands along Bo's arm, cursing herself for not noticing her injury sooner. "Bo, you need to feed."

"Tamsin, I'm fine."

The Valkyrie cupped the succubus's face in her hands. "_Please_, Bo. I just…you're hurt, ok? Just feed." Bo sighed and pulled her into a kiss.

Tamsin tried not to let herself drown in the sensation of Bo's lips against hers, but the soft warmth of her mouth was almost too much to bear. She felt a tug from deep within her: a tendril of both pain and pleasure snaking its way through her body to leave her in a stream of blue. Bo drew gently from the Valkyrie until the cuts on her arm had healed. With one last brush of her lips, she pulled away, both of them slightly breathless. "Thanks," she mumured.

"Always, Bo."

The succubus smiled her delight at these words, but her smile faded when she saw the marks on Tamsin's arm. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's fine, Bo. I heal fast."

Bo gave the Valkyrie a pointed look. "Nice try," she reprimanded before pulling Tamsin into another kiss. After a moment of blissful tenderness, Tamsin felt soothing warmth and gentle pleasure weave its way into her body before pulsing through her veins. Opening her eyes ever-so-slightly, the Valkyrie saw that Bo was pushing chi _into _her in a river of orange that left her gasping.

"You can't just give back what I gave you," Tamsin protested when they pulled away, still reeling.

Bo gave her a shy, almost nervous smile. "I wanted to."

"That was hot," Fíonn commented. It was Aislinn's turn to smack him.

Ever the generous proprietor, Trick drew a round of pints for everyone as they gathered at the longest table at the Dal. "If I pull you another, will you drink it at a normal speed?" Trick asked Kayleigh when he had finished passing out the first few drinks.

"Sure thing," she replied, handing him the empty glass. Dyson, Hale, and Bo were gaping at her while Aislinn just shook her head fondly.

Once everyone was seated with a beer in front of them, Fíonn began, "Right, what story do you want to hear first?"

"You're not even going to ask why?" Kayleigh groused.

"I leave the snooping and gossiping to you ladies," he replied with a wave at her and his sister. "I prefer to do the storytelling and watch people listen in rapt delight."

"Can you start by filling the newbies in on gancanaghs?" Kenzi asked.

"Of course! Gancanaghs are the finest of the sídhe. We're handsome, charming – "

" – they're a type of Fae who feed off chi the way succubi do, but they can only feed off of women and their charms only work on women," Aislinn cut him off.

"Is that why only one of the dobhar-chú reacted to your smoke?" Bo asked.

"Yes indeed," Fíonn replied, slightly chagrined at his sister for robbing him of his speech. "If they had both been male, the smoke would've done nothing. I was taking a bit of a gamble, there."

"What happens if a gancanagh is gay?" Kenzi inquired with a mischievous smirk.

Fíonn grinned. "Many an amusing story, all of which I can tell you over drinks later." Hale cleared his throat again and the gancanagh held up his hands in defense. "Not flirting! Not flirting!"

"We were _hoping_," Trick cut in, "that you could tell us more about a piece of sídhe history. In about 1100 or so, the veil between this world and the Otherworld was torn and thousands of sídhe rallied together to fix the breach. We were just wondering if there was anything specific you could tell us about that battle."

Fíonn stared at him incredulously. "'Anything specific'? Good sir, I have almost a hundred stories about that particular debacle, all of which are firsthand accounts from my dear, departed father."

"Firsthand accounts?" Dyson repeated, eyes wide.

"Yup. Dad fought in those battles. The whole thing lasted for a good few months, and he was there for all of it."

"Start talking," Tamsin demanded before adding "please" as an afterthought.

"Happily! Where should I start?"

"The beginning, please," Trick implored. "We need to know as much as we can."

"Sure thing!" Fíonn leaned forward on the table, eyes sparkling as he began his tale.

"So. Back in 1100-ish, people start seeing ghosts in the Irish countryside. Not really an unusual thing, because Ireland, but there were an awful lot more than usual. Then people claimed that dobhar-chú were starting to pop up in the nearby lakes, which nobody believed until two kids nearly got eaten for getting too close. People _really_ started paying attention when a Fae village was attacked. When the villagers defended themselves, the assailants bled white. Sídhe hadn't bled white for a good few centuries at that point, so the obvious conclusion was that they'd gotten through the veil somehow.

"Figuring it would be best to fight sídhe with their own kind, all the sídhe in Ireland gathered together to try to find and close the tear in the veil. Thing is, no one knew how, because nothing like this had ever happened before. So the sídhe back then did what you're doing now: went to people for stories of the good old days. So much Irish Fae history is kept in its people and not in its books; you just have to find who has the knowledge. Anyway, a lot of the _really _old Fae started mentioning the Four Treasures of the Tuatha. And before you ask, they're not important yet, so hold off on your questions," Fíonn added to Bo, who had indeed opened her mouth to inquire further. "A lot of people thought this was bullshit, because the Four Treasures are supposed to have been a myth. That said, _we're _supposed to be myths, too, so it was a pretty lame argument, if you ask me.

"So things inevitably start getting worse. More ghosts and ancient sídhe are wreaking havoc left and right, and three spirits in particular are doing extra points of damage. Only the banshees could see them clearly and some of them managed to get close enough to identify them before being attacked. Before they died, they were able to tell the other sídhe that the three spirits were the last three kings of the Tuatha: MacCuill, MacCecht, and MacGréine. They had been killed in the last battle with the Milesians that ended with all the Tuatha and ancient sídhe being banished to the Otherworld.

"No one was sure how the spirits got out of the Red Palace, since that's where most of the old sídhe and the Tuatha went when they died. The most popular theory was that a fourth party held a jailbreak 'cause there were a lot of tales of this shady character who'd stand back and watch the brothers slaughter their way through entire villages. No one ever figured out who he was." Kayleigh and Aislinn couldn't help but notice that everyone's tension and worry spiked with this revelation, but they didn't comment. "This meant that not only did the other sídhe have to worry about closing the veil, but they had to send the brother-kings back home, too," Fíonn continued. "The old folk kept insisting that the Four Treasures had a part in the whole thing and someone finally managed to wrangle a little more knowledge out of somebody.

"Whoever they wrangled it out of said that the Four Treasures had been split when the Tuatha had been banished: two in the Otherworld and two in the world of the living. The Treasures already held immense power on their own and apparently keeping them separate from each other caused a sort of pull between them all: two treasures were trying to get out while two were trying to get in. Over time, this started to determine the well-being of the veil. No one knew anything about the two in the Otherworld and only one of them was known in our world: Lia Fáil, The Stone of Destiny, which sat on the hill of Tara. Apparently the Stone was the key to closing the breach in the veil.

"So the battle of battles happened at Tara, three days before Bealtaine. Sídhe of all types fought ancient sídhe of all types in one big mess. Thankfully, they were prepared when the spirits of the three kings showed up and a huge group of banshees keened them back into the Otherworld." Seeing Bo's and Kenzi's confusion, Fíonn elaborated, "Banshees not only predict the death of other Fae but they have the power of keening. It's like a death song that sends spirits back to wherever they came from. The group succeeded in driving the kings back, but the stress of the keening killed a fair few of them. As for closing the veil, the Lia Fáil _was _indeed the key, but whatever ceremony they performed destroyed the Stone in the process."

"If the Stone was destroyed, what's there now?" Trick asked with a frown.

"A very, _very _clever copy," Fíonn replied. "It fools the humans and most of the Fae, but any sídhe who looks at it knows immediately that it's not real. So the veil was closed, but the destruction of the Stone left a huge problem: now the power of the veil is unbalanced. There are two Treasures in the Otherworld and only one in ours, so the sídhe figured it would only be a matter of time before the veil tore again."

"Did they ever figure out which Treasures were where?" Kenzi wondered.

"Yeah, they did: Nuada's Sword and Dagda's Cauldron are both in the Otherworld, and Lugh's Spear is hiding somewhere in this world."

At the mention of the Spear, Kayleigh and Aislinn sent Trick a glance of curious challenge. His pleading expression in response kept them silent.

"You said that there was a shady character who watched the three kings," Bo began carefully. "Did he have a name? Or a title? Could he have been one of the Tuatha?"

"He was almost definitely another Tuatha," Fíonn told her. "Only another Tuatha would have the power to break spirits out of the Red Palace. Thing is, not many Tuatha were alive and well outside that Palace. Most were dead by the time of the banishment."

"Did he have a name?"

"A lot of people called him 'The Wanderer' because he was always following the kings."

Bo's heart stopped for a moment, then began to beat double-time. Tamsin grasped her hand under the table to both calm and reassure her.

"And your dad was at these battles?" Hale confirmed.

"He was," Fíonn replied with a proud grin. "Never shut up about it. He actually got a medal for it – all the sídhe did." He pulled a pendant from beneath his t-shirt and held it up for the others to see: a copper disk with an upraised triple-spiral.

"That's the spiral of Brú na Bóinne," Tamsin identified.

"Yup. Well, that's the place the spiral's most associated with. Dad said that all the medals were enchanted to locate the other Treasures, but the sídhe who enchanted them said that 'only one with the proper words' or whatever could activate them. Dad was one of the few people who believed it to be true and used to encourage me and Aislinn to go looking for the Treasures someday."

"Which is why my oh-so-intelligent brother here spent a good few centuries traveling every inch of Ireland," Aislinn added with a sort of affectionate irritation.

"Hey, you _wanted _to stay home. It's not _my _fault the mobile phone hadn't been invented yet."

The remains of the door rattled on its hinges and the group turned to see Lauren enter, screeching to a halt when she saw the bodies on the floor. "…Oh." Her voice was about an octave higher than usual. "Yeah, those were the things that chased us."

"They're called dobhar-chú," Fíonn called over to her before turning to Tamsin. "Is she off-limits?"

"Pretty sure, yeah."

"Damn."

Kayleigh and Aislinn, meanwhile, were giving the doctor calculating, suspicious frowns. Lauren didn't notice until she was halfway through unpacking her medical bag. "Um…do I know you?" she asked timidly. The empaths looked at each other before turning back to the table, leaving Lauren thoroughly disconcerted.

"So what's this all about, anyway?" Fíonn inquired. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I love telling stories and I have a whole lot more about specific skirmishes Dad got caught up in, but is there any particular reason for this?"

"Finally, he grows a brain!" Aislinn exclaimed in mock-delight. "Man wouldn't know a serious situation if it danced naked in front of him."

"Not true. If it were in the form of a woman, I would _definitely _notice. Ow! Abuse!" he protested as Aislinn smacked him again.

"I think I might be able to tell you, if I've read everybody right," Kayleigh smirked.

"Bitch, I thought you said you couldn't read minds!" Kenzi accused.

"I can't, but I can read _reactions_, and you can learn a hell of a lot by how people react to things. So, let me see if I have this right." She downed the rest of her beer and would have grabbed Aislinn's had her girlfriend not snatched it away. "You want to know the entire story of the tearing of the veil and you all got especially interested and hopeful when Fíonn started talking about the Treasures being the key to closing it. That suggests to me that something is currently happening with the veil and you need to know how to fix it. When Fíonn mentioned that the veil was likely to tear again, Bo got really relieved. _That _suggests to me that she blames herself for this tear that I'm guessing exists. And y'all freaked the fuck out when Fíonn mentioned the Wanderer, so that _definitely _has something to do with all of this. How am I doing so far?"

The collective reaction to Kayleigh's theory was a sigh of annoyed resignation. "That's…pretty accurate," Kenzi admitted, impressed despite herself.

"Yes, there's a tear in the veil," Trick sighed. "The Morrigan discovered it when she was chased by scald crows, and Bo had another scald crow at her window."

"And a few months ago I was captured by the Wanderer and put on a Death Train," Bo continued. "I escaped by jumping – and yes, I know, I could've died," she responded to the horrified expressions she received. "Apparently that's what tore the veil further, so that's how we figured out that the Wanderer was someone from the Otherworld."

Aislinn, Kayleigh, and Fíonn were silent as they processed this. "So what're you gonna do?" Fíonn queried as casually as he might ask for another beer.

"Well, now that we know the Treasures are the key to closing the veil, I guess we'll have to go looking for the one that's here," Hale sighed.

"There's one other thing…"

"Bo," Tamsin warned.

"_No_, Tamsin. I know it's crazy, but I have to know." She turned to Fíonn. "Is it possible that the veil has been torn for awhile and that we just haven't noticed until now?"

"Honestly? I think that's a lot more likely than it just having shown up. The power imbalance probably caused little rips here and there that no one noticed. What's that quote about hell breaking loose? Something like, 'I'm more worried that only part of hell will break loose because it will be harder to detect.' That's not that crazy, actually."

"That's not the crazy part." Bo wrung her hands. "I think…I had a dream about my father during my Dawning, and recently I had it again, but he called me 'mo pháiste.'"

"'My child,'" Fíonn translated.

"Yeah." The succubus paused as she contemplated her words. "I know it was just a dream, but I feel like there's something to it. I think…I think that my father might be one of the Tuatha. I think he might be the Wanderer."

Fíonn gave her a wary look. "Ok, you might want to elaborate a touch…"

"My mother…she was captured and held in captivity somewhere – for _centuries_. She escaped after she had me, and she wouldn't tell anyone about my father. All I know is that he was someone dark and powerful and she was afraid of him." Bo sighed.

"Have you considered asking her about it?" Aislinn asked kindly.

"The last time I saw her she had been tortured to the point of insanity. I think she escaped Taft's compound, but I haven't seen her since. I don't know what happened to her."

"Lauren knows something," Kayleigh stated. She stopped tracing the rim of her beer glass and looked over at the doctor. "Sorry, did you want to keep that a secret?"

Bo snapped her head around to stare at Lauren and the guilt in the human's eyes was all the succubus needed.

"What do you know?" Bo's quiet imploration was more demand than request.

"Bo, I – "

"What. Do. You. Know?"

Lauren's lower lip quivered. "She's…Aífe's alive," she admitted in a whimper. "She's in the hospital at the Dark compound."

* * *

><p><strong>Glossary:<strong>

Fíonn: When said slowly it's pronounced "fee-ON," but to speed it's "fyON." Name taken from the legendary Fíonn mac Cumhaill (known to some as "Finn McCool," but if you value your life, _never _call him that in Ireland). "Fíonn" can also mean "bright" or "fair."

dobhar-chú: Pronounced "DUV-ar KOO." Translates to "water hound." An Irish creature that's said to be half-otter/half-dog. In the legend of the dobhar-chú, a woman was dragged into the lake by one of the creatures, which was then killed by her husband. Before the creature died, it whistled for its mate, who then went after the husband. The man fled until he found a friend and then the two lay in wait to ambush and kill the second creature. A headstone at a graveyard in County Leitrim has a carving that depicts the dobhar-chú.

Four Treasures of the Tuatha: Treasures said to be brought to Ireland by the Tuatha. Only one is important right now and that one is the...

Lia Fáil/Stone of Destiny: Pronounced "LEE-a FAWL" (might just be "la" or "leh" instead of "LEE-a"). Sits on the Hill of Tara and is said to cry out at the touch of the rightful king of Ireland.

banshee/keening: "bean sí" in Irish ("bean" meaning "woman"). Keening is an Irish funeral pratice where the women sing a mourning song for the dead. I've turned it into a spirit-banishing power for that reason.

MacCuill, MacCecht, and MacGréine: Pronounced "mak-cull," "mak-kech(k)t," and "mak-GRANE-yuh." Brothers who were the last three kings of the Tuatha (they shared the throne). All were killed in the battle against the Milesians.

triple-spiral: Symbol associated with Newgrange and Brú na Bóinne, as it appears all over the tombs. Sometimes called a triskelion.

Cast of OCs:  
>Kayleigh: Caitlin Stasey (but with darker, curlier hair)<br>Aislinn: Tabrett Bethell (but slightly younger)  
>Fíonn: Garrett Hedlund (when his hair is long and he has no facial hair)<p> 


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

**AN: **Sorry if Aífe and Bo's reactions to her are a little OOC. I'm not overly familiar with the character. I wrote this chapter to Blackmore's Night's "Castles and Dreams" (again).  
><em>trigg<em>: Your review made me smile 'cause that was exactly what I had planned.

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><p>Bo wasn't sure exactly when she moved, but suddenly she'd stood with enough force to knock her chair backwards and had Lauren pinned to the wall. Shouts of disbelief and pleas for her to stop echoed behind her, but Bo heard none of them. "Tell me!" she demanded of the doctor she held captive. <em>"Tell me!"<em>

"She was already at the hospital when I arrived at the Dark compound," Lauren blurted, hoping that if she told the story fast enough Bo would let her go. "The Fae doctors told me that they'd found her crawling through an alley with a broken leg. They took her to the hospital and offered someone for her to feed from, but she refused to feed. She's just staying in her room and letting her leg heal on its own. She won't say who she got into a fight with."

"It was me," came Trick's quiet voice. Still pinning Lauren to the wall with one hand, Bo whirled to face him, eyes blazing blue. "It was when we'd all been cursed to forget you. She'd been trying to find you and we ended up meeting, not knowing the history between us. The spell was broken while we were talking and she came at me with a knife."

"So you broke her leg and left her to die?!"

"I defended myself," Trick protested. "I did what I had to to get away. I knew she'd be all right. She's strong," he insisted, and the others could tell that it was more to assuage his own guilt than actual belief in his daughter's ability to survive.

Bo shook her head in disgust. "At least I already expect it from you, Trick," she spat. "It's your name, isn't it? Trick. Always lying and deceiving to save your own hide. But you're used to throwing Aífe to the wolves at this point, aren't you? You sold her to the Dark, you used your own blood to determine her fate, and now you went and wounded her again. Your own daughter. Why should I even trust you? After everything you've done to her, how do I know that you won't do the same to me?"

The Blood King almost doubled over at the agony of her words. Every single one was a dagger driven to the hilt within his heart and he could not remove a single blade, for every one was truth. Bo stared him down with a gaze that was almost cruel – icy blue that was slowly beginning to rim with an orange none had seen before – before she turned on Lauren.

"But _you_! I trusted you! I _loved _you! But you're just like him, aren't you? Lying – always _lying_ and _hiding_! Our first night together, then Nadia, and then Taft, and now this! You're keeping _my own mother _from me! Were we a lie, too, Lauren? Was it stupid to believe you actually felt anything for me?" Her hands had moved from Lauren's shoulders to wrap around her throat. _"It's all any of you have ever done!" _Bo roared, and her voice held the undertone of darkness that had broken through after her Dawning. _"You've only ever lied to me about who I am and what I can do! You've hidden every single second of my past from me! You claim you want to protect me, but you do it for __**yourselves**__!" _She tightened her grip on Lauren's throat, and the doctor tried to pry her hands away as she gasped for air. Dyson had sprung forward and grabbed Bo's arm but the succubus lashed out with her foot straight to his stomach, knocking him backwards with strength she didn't know she had. She was ready to let Lauren die against the wall except –

"Bo." The voice was soft. The hands on her shoulders were gentle.

The succubus loosened her grip, the blue of her eyes fading back to brown as she staggered backwards into Tamsin's arms. She shook so fiercely she might have fallen had the Valkyrie not been holding her up. She looked at the woman she once loved with horror and shame, eyes filling with tears. "Oh God, Lauren…Lauren, I'm so sorry…I'm so…I…"

"It's all right, Bo," the doctor replied, her words genuine. "I deserved that," she continued, rubbing her neck. "I deserved every bit of that. You're right, Bo: I should've told you the minute I found out. I'll make sure you get to see her. _Today_."

Bo nodded, still shaking and silently crying in Tamsin's embrace. "Does she ask about me?" Her voice was small and trembling, filled with the hopes and pleas of a small child. The sound broke the Valkyrie's heart.

It was Lauren's turn for tears. "Every day."

…

Bo gripped Tamsin's hand like a lifeline as they followed Lauren down the hall of the Dark compound's hospital wing. All three were silent, each reflecting on the events of the morning. As much as Bo was torturing herself for what she did, Lauren had accepted it, knowing that she probably deserved much worse. Tamsin, meanwhile, was thinking about the darkness she had seen in Bo and how absolutely terrified she'd been that it would take her completely. Their thoughts made for a short walk to Aífe's room.

"I know that this doesn't even begin to fix things," Lauren said as she keyed in the code for the door. "But I'm going to try."

"It'll never be fixed," Bo replied in a hoarse, hollow voice.

"I know. Not completely. But I'm still gonna try." The light on the door clicked from red to green. "Take as much time as you need. I told the other doctors that you're to be allowed access here whenever you want."

"Lauren…" Bo choked as the doctor began to walk away. "Thanks. And…I'm sorry."

Lauren gave her a little half-smile. "It's ok, Bo. And there's nothing to thank me for." She turned and retreated down the hall.

Bo looked at Tamsin with fearful hope, nervous despite herself. The Valkyrie gave her a reassuring smile, squeezing her hand. Giving her a shaky smile in return, Bo pushed open the door.

Aífe was lying back on a comfortable-looking double bed in the corner of a spacious room. There was a large window in the wall above the bed that let sunlight shine across the covers. Across from the bed sat a desk with a lamp, a cup full of pencils, a scattering of erasers, and two stacks of paper: one blank, one filled with drawings. There was a bookshelf by the desk packed with novels of every age and genre and Bo couldn't help but notice that there were more than a few books of Irish mythology hiding amongst the fiction.

Aífe had been doodling in a sketchbook lying across her lap but looked up at the sound of the door opening. When she saw who had come to visit, a smile so wonderfully joyous lit her face that Bo couldn't help but smile back, just as thrilled to see her. "Bo!" the older succubus exclaimed, tossing the sketchbook aside and holding out her arms. She was unable to move further, hindered by the metal and plastic cast that took up almost the entirety of her right leg.

"Mom," Bo almost sobbed, rushing forward and into her mother's embrace.

"I've missed you so much, baby girl," Aífe murmured. "They wouldn't tell me where you were."

"They didn't tell me where you were, either. I'm so sorry, Mom; if I'd known, I'd've been here sooner."

Aífe rubbed her daughter's back. "Shh, it's all right. You're here now." She looked up and tensed, tightening her hold on Bo. "Who's that?" she demanded. "Who's this woman?"

Bo looked over to see Tamsin shifting rather uncomfortably by the door, hands in her pockets and shoulders slumped. "Mom, that's Tamsin. She's a…good friend," she finally settled on, not sure what else to go with. Still, Tamsin's heart did a little backflip as she nodded to Aífe. The older succubus relaxed and went back to focusing on holding her daughter.

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry he did this to you," Bo was crying. "I found out and I wanted to kill him. I almost killed Lauren…"

Far from being disconcerted, Aífe continued to soothe her. "It's all right, baby girl. He'll get what's coming to him. That Lauren girl seems nice, though – always brings me books and paper to sketch with."

"How…how are you feeling? Why won't you feed?"

Aífe sighed, and the sound weighed heavily on Bo's heart. "'Cause it just leaves me feeling hollow, Bo. I don't want to be hollow anymore. But now you're here, so I don't feel quite so hollow."

Tamsin, meanwhile, had been staring at Aífe's sketchbook, feeling more uneasy by the second. "Bo," she whispered. The succubus looked annoyed to have her attention taken away from her mother, but when Tamsin nodded at the sketchbook, her expression changed.

"The triple-spiral…" the succubus murmured. "Mom…do you know what's happening?"

"I've felt it, baby girl," Aífe shivered, holding Bo tighter again. "He made sure I could always feel it, always know, always know when he might come back to get me."

"My father?" Bo confirmed timidly.

"Yes, Bo. But he'll never get to you. I won't let him get to you."

"I think he almost did, Mom, but I escaped," Bo told her. "I won't let him get me, I promise."

Once again, Tamsin felt the guilt come crashing down upon her, twisting her heart and filling it with lead until she nearly broke down. If not for her Valkyrie training and sheer willpower, she might've.

"Mom…" Bo was saying, unsure of how to proceed. "I think…I need to know who he is. I had a dream that told me who he might be, but I have to know. I'm sorry, Mom, I can't even imagine how much it hurts – "

"You're going to stop him, aren't you?" her mother cut her off. "Him and the other Tuatha and the ancient sídhe?" Bo nodded, and her mother gave her a proud but vengeful smile. "Oh, I want to be there when you do, baby girl. I want to help you kill him. I want to watch his blood spill." Bo tried not to shiver but Tamsin couldn't help but admire Aífe's gruesome determination.

"So…he really is one of the Tuatha?" Bo had begun to tremble, clinging to her mother.

"He's one of _the _Tuatha, Bo. They looked to him and then he followed them. He Wandered through the veil, back and forth until he couldn't, but there were so many cracks left, so many tears, so many places to pull people through…" Aífe shuddered, and Bo snuggled up to her. Tamsin pulled the desk chair over so Bo could sit down and the younger succubus nodded her thanks. "He was their king, Bo. And then he was their Wanderer. And now he wants you to be his queen. They called him kind, the Lord of Plenty, but all those years made him cruel, so cruel…"

"Dagda," Tamsin whispered. "Dagda was called the Lord of Plenty."

Aífe hissed at the Valkyrie, who took an apologetic step back. "He'll not have you, Bo. I won't let him."

"I won't let him either, Mom," Bo repeated. "I promise."

As if that single promise was a trigger, Aífe's entire demeanor changed. No longer both vengeful and fearful, she'd become a mother again, stroking Bo's hair and smiling at her. "So tell me how you've been, Bo. Tell me what's been happening in your life!"

They talked about everything and nothing for a good hour. Bo told Aífe about all the crazy adventures she'd had with Kenzi, about how she'd passed her Dawning (leaving out the part where she'd channeled that darkness deep within her in order to save Dyson). To Tamsin's chagrin, Bo had many an amusing story about the Valkyrie's recent childhood, all of which had both succubi in fits of laughter. Tamsin's spirits were lifted somewhat when Bo told her mother that she "maybe" had someone in her life but assured her "no, it's not Lauren" and reacted to Dyson's name with "oh, _God_, no, not him."

But Aífe couldn't hide her yawns forever, and Bo gave her an affectionate smile when she failed to suppress the biggest of them. "I'll let you get some sleep, Mom. But I'll come back and see you tomorrow, I promise."

"I look forward to it, baby girl." She gave her daughter one last hug. "I'll always love you, Bo. You know that, right?"

"Of course, Mom. I love you, too." Bo gave her a little wave as she backed towards the door.

Bo and Tamsin had just turned to leave when Aífe's voice called after them. "You. Tamsin." The Valkyrie looked back at the older succubus, who beckoned for her to come closer. Squeezing Bo's hand to assure her that she'd be all right, Tamsin stepped back into the room, standing beside the bed. She and Aífe met each other's unflinching gazes and held them for a long time, observing and calculating.

"I see the way you look at her when you think no one's watching," Aífe told her in a soft voice. "I see what she means to you." Her expression became imploring. "Take care of my baby girl, will you?"

Tamsin placed her right fist over her heart and bowed at the waist: a Valkyrie sign of respect and promise. "With everything that I am."

Bo knew that she shouldn't have been listening, but she couldn't help wondering what her mother had to say to Tamsin that she couldn't say in front of her daughter. Aífe's words made her glad she doubled-back even as she almost wished she hadn't. _Tamsin couldn't possibly…could she?_ The Valkyrie's response made Bo's heart swell with hope and another emotion she didn't recognize but filled her with warmth and light. She retreated before Tamsin could catch her, so the Valkyrie found Bo waiting for her a little ways down the hall, leaning against the wall with her arms folded across her chest.

"Can we go home?" the succubus asked, mentally drained.

Tamsin's heart backflipped again at her casual use of the word "home." "Of course, Bo."

…

"I think I'm gonna take a nap," Bo sighed as she and Tamsin trudged into the Valkyrie's apartment. "I need time to process all of this." She stopped when she realized the blonde wasn't beside her. "Tamsin?" Bo turned around.

Tamsin stood in the middle of her living room, sagging under the crushing burden of guilt she was no longer able to bear. "Bo…" she forced out in a gasp, tears welling in her eyes. "Bo, this is my fault."

Confused, the succubus turned and walked back to where the Valkyrie stood. "How is this your fault, Tam? You didn't keep my mother from me."

"Not your mother, Bo. The Wanderer. The veil. The Death Train. Everything."

Bo said nothing, only nodding to show that she was listening without judgment. "I was supposed to bring you to him…" Tamsin choked. "But I couldn't. I…I cared too much. Acacia tried to warn me and I defied her, and she…she was killed because of me, and I knew I had to…" She let out a shuddering sigh. "It was the Rune Glass. I'm not sure, but I think the Rune Glass marked you so he could take you and put you on the Death Train." Tamsin shook with the effort of containing her sobs, even as a few tears escaped to trail down her cheeks. "Bo, this is my fault, and I'm so, _so _sorry."

Tamsin would have struggled to say more, but Bo stepped forward and put her hands on the Valkyrie's shoulders. "Tamsin…I know," she murmured. "I figured it out a long time ago." The succubus reached up and gently wiped a tear from Tamsin's face. "I forgave you a long time ago, too."

It wasn't fair to Bo; Tamsin knew that. The succubus needed time to think about her mother and what she'd learned about her father. But Tamsin couldn't stay strong any longer, and in the warmth of Bo's forgiveness, the Valkyrie broke down.

Bo held Tamsin close and rubbed her back as the blonde clung to her, wracked with sobs. The Valkyrie – always so strong, always so steadfast – fell apart in Bo's arms, finally allowing her emotions to overwhelm her in the safety of the succubus's embrace. Bo guided them both to the couch, lying back against the cushions with Tamsin draped across her. The Valkyrie instinctively curled around her, crying away her guilt and pain as Bo cradled her in comfort and forgiveness, stroking her hair and whispering soothing sounds in her ear. Safe in the arms of her warrior, Tamsin sobbed herself into exhaustion.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

**AN: **Heads up: I'm delving into Tamsin's past a little more and in doing so making up a _lot _of things.

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><p>It took Bo a moment to realize where she was as she slowly began to wake. But then she felt the gentle weight atop her and the hair tickling her cheek and she remembered: the confession, the tears. The forgiveness.<p>

Bo idly ran her fingers through the blonde strands that had come loose from Tamsin's usually immaculate bun. The Valkyrie looked both peaceful and vulnerable in her sleep, and the succubus could just barely make out the remnants of tear tracks on her face. Heart aching for the woman in her arms, Bo pressed a kiss to the top of her head, holding her a little closer. Just having Tamsin in her embrace eased the turmoil in her mind. As emotionally hectic as the day had been, something about the blonde soothed Bo into calm acceptance. It wasn't that she didn't care – far from it. Tamsin just took the burden away.

The thought made Bo sigh. She couldn't even begin to imagine the burden Tamsin had been carrying: the weight of unspoken guilt left to tear her apart inside until even the Valkyrie couldn't stand the agony. The succubus hoped she could take away as much of Tamsin's pain as the Valkyrie had Bo's.

Deciding that she wanted to do something nice for Tamsin, Bo carefully slid from beneath the blonde, managing to free herself without disturbing her. Giving the Valkyrie one last fond look, the succubus made her way to the kitchen, figuring that she'd surprise Tamsin with dinner. It was only when she opened the fridge door that she remembered she had no idea how to cook.

Bo took a deep, determined breath as she surveyed her options. _Bacon? No, I'd burn it. There are eggs left, except we had omelets for breakfast. But I could scramble some. How hard could it be? _The succubus cringed as the doom-ensuring phrase passed through her head before she could stop it.

"Whatcha doin'?"

Bo yelped and spun around, hand over her heart. "Dammit, Tamsin, you _scared _me!"

"Sorry," the Valkyrie replied, but her tone and barely-suppressed smile suggested that she wasn't quite. "So whatcha doin'?"

"Um…well…I thought maybe I could make us some dinner."

Tamsin gave her a rightfully skeptical look. "Bo, you can't cook."

"Yes, I know, I just…wanted to do something, I guess," she shrugged, embarrassed.

The shy, joyful smile that lit the Valkyrie's face made Bo's heart flutter in her chest. "I can teach you that, too, succulette." She looked over the succubus's shoulder to see what she had to work with. "If you don't mind having the same meal twice, omelets are easy enough to make."

"I thought eggs might be the one thing I couldn't mess up," Bo admitted.

Tamsin chuckled. "They're easy to overcook, but as long as you have the stove on low, you'll be fine."

"And you've already lost me."

The Valkyrie full-out giggled this time, and Bo felt her heart do that weird fluttery thing again. "Don't worry, succubus, I won't let you set my kitchen on fire."

The next half-hour was spent in comfortable conversation and light laughter as Tamsin guided Bo in the cooking of two omelets. She showed her how to grease the pan, exactly what temperature the stove should be, exactly how to beat and pour the eggs, and when to add the ingredients. Tamsin showed her two different ways to make them – one for the Valkyrie's, one for Bo's – and soon the succubus had succeeded in making two near-perfect omelets. Bo couldn't stop grinning at her creations as she and Tamsin sat down to eat. She couldn't stare at Tamsin's for long, though, 'cause the Valkyrie inhaled it as she did all food.

"Should I take that as a compliment?" Bo asked as she watched the omelet disappear.

Tamsin nodded. "Tastes _awesome_," she replied around a mouthful of egg-and-cheese goodness. "Next time I'll show you how to fry the bacon to put in it, too."

Bo rolled her eyes even as she chuckled. "You and bacon, Tamsin. I'll never understand it."

"And I'll never understand why you _don't _love it," the Valkyrie shot back with a grin. She watched for a moment as Bo continued to eat. _"Go raibh maith agat, mo laoch," _she finally murmured with a softer smile.

Bo tilted her head in curiosity. "I understand '_go raibh maith agat_,' but what does '_mo laoch_' mean?"

Tamsin's smile turned mysterious. "I'll tell you someday, succulette, I promise. But really…thank you. For everything."

Touched by her gratitude even as she understood the Valkyrie's reluctance to talk about the afternoon's events, Bo reached across the kitchen island and grabbed the blonde's hand. "Anytime, Tamsin."

…

Tamsin changed to her usual tee and sweats while Bo chose the still-infuriating black nightie ("Isn't it about time you washed that thing, succulette?" "Huh? Oh. I have four.") and crawled into bed for an early night. Bo wrapped herself around Tamsin without preamble and the Valkyrie returned her embrace, stroking the succubus's hair. There was silence for a bit before Bo asked, "So what was your family like?"

Tamsin huffed a laugh. "If you're looking for a sweet, happy story to make up for today, you're not gonna get one."

"I figured that," Bo agreed. "I just…it seems like everyone but me knew about my family, and I guess…I just wonder about yours."

Tamsin had long given up trying to deny Bo whatever she asked, but she didn't mind. If there was anyone she felt safe enough telling her story, it was the succubus. "Where do you want me to start?"

Bo thought for a moment. "What's your last name? I don't think I've ever heard your full name."

"Valkyries' surnames come from our mothers' names. My last name is Sigrúnsdatter – literally 'daughter of Sigrún.'"

"So what was your mother's last name?"

"Brynsdatter."

"And her last name?"

Tamsin shifted uncomfortably. "Promise not to tell?" Bo nodded her assent, but it was still a moment before the Valkyrie admitted, "Freyasdatter."

"_Freyas_datter?!" Bo repeated. "Isn't Freya the goddess of all Valkyries or something?"

"Wow, look at you and your Norse knowledge, succubabe. Yes, she is, and _all _Valkyries are her descendants. Not everyone is as close as I am, though. Acacia was her fifth-great granddaughter and Kayleigh's mom was something like her sixteenth-great granddaughter."

"Kayleigh's mom was a Valkyrie?" Bo frowned in surprise.

"Mm-hm."

"So does Kayleigh take her mother's name?"

"Not quite. Non-Valkyrie children with Valkyrie mothers have the option of taking the name 'Valkyrsdatter' or 'Valkyrsen' – 'Valkyrie's daughter' or 'Valkyrie's son.' It's more of a title than a surname, though. Kayleigh could gain a lot of power just by throwing 'Valkyrsdatter' around, but it's not her style. She took her dad's name instead."

"So all Valkyries take their mothers' names and not their fathers'?"

"Most Valkyries have no idea who their father is." At Bo's startled expression, Tamsin continued, "Most Valkyries' fathers were warriors that their mothers decided to spend the night with for fun. The majority of them went and died in battle. Valkyries would have children with different warriors over the course of their lifetimes, and that could be across millennia."

"What, so they were just furthering the line or something?" Bo quipped.

"And because sex is fun. Valkyries spend so much time around warriors that they're almost expected to bed a few."

"So your father…?"

"A Viking soldier. Modir – that's what we called our mothers; it's an old Viking word – told me she was drawn to him for his wit as much as his looks and skill with a sword. He died in battle the day she found out she was pregnant. She told him after she'd dropped him off in Valhalla and he was pretty excited. Told her to make sure that boy or girl, Valkyrie or not, I would be strong enough to take down a man his size bare-handed."

"Can you?" Bo teased.

Tamsin grinned. "Easily."

"So did your mother raise you on her own? I know you found your weapon in that hall in Valhalla, but did you live there, too?"

"Yup. Modir dropped me off in Valhalla to be trained with the other Valkyries and then went on her merry way."

"She just left you?" Bo asked, distressed. "She didn't even come to visit you?"

"She came to visit for a few weeks once a year. We would spend time together and she'd test me on what I'd learned and even teach me a little bit herself. She only missed one year and I learned later it was 'cause she'd been reborn into her last life. She made up for it by flying me around Valhalla." Tamsin still remembered that day, even millennia later. Her mother had made sure to hold her daughter safely away from her wings before launching them both in the air and gliding them over the vast fields of Valhalla. Tamsin had laughed in delight the whole time, spreading her arms out as if she could fly, too. They had circled the main hall before venturing farther out, soaring over lush forests and battlefields and warriors' halls. After they'd landed, Tamsin had begged to do it again every single day. Her mother had laughed and told her maybe. It was the only time they'd gone flying together.

"Then one day she came to Valhalla to stay," Tamsin continued in a murmur, "but this time as a fallen warrior. I tried to get to her as she walked to the main hall, but Acacia wouldn't let me. Modir saw me and she put her fist over her heart and bowed: a Valkyrie salute and sign of respect. And then she was in the hall where I wasn't allowed to go. I drew my sword on Acacia and dueled her for _hours_, lost in my rage. I fought her until I couldn't hold my sword up, and then I _still _tried to fight her. That was my first lesson in channeling anger, Acacia told me as I was lying on the ground. She said Modir would have been proud of how hard I fought and then she just left me to reconcile my grief." Tamsin sighed. "Valkyries are taught to block most emotions, but I was still a kid, and that was pain unlike I'd ever felt."

Bo held Tamsin tighter, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and unlike everyone else who'd ever said it, Tamsin knew she meant it.

After allowing the Valkyrie a moment of contemplative silence, Bo asked, "So, if Valkyries were always having children, did you have any half-siblings?"

"A _lot_, but none are Valkyries. A lot of times a Valkyrie will leave her non-Valkyrie child with the father or on someone's doorstep. War just isn't the sort of life for a kid."

"How can you tell if a baby's a Valkyrie if they're only just born?"

"Valkyries are born with their true faces. We don't gain the ability to mask it until we're about a week old."

"So what happens to the other children? Do they ever find out about their mothers?"

"Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If they're left with their warrior fathers, the warriors will usually go on and on about their parentage, which is _really _awkward if the warrior has a wife already." Both women laughed at this before Tamsin continued, "If the child is just left on a random person's doorstep, then sometimes he or she will never find out at all. Sometimes Valkyries will leave a note with the child's name or the Valkyrie's name should the kid ever want to go looking for her. A lot of people have this misconception that Valkyries give away their kids because they don't want them – and some do – but most do it to keep them safe."

"What happens if the children go looking for their mothers?"

"If a Fae finds his or her mother, they can ask to be claimed. More often than not the Valkyrie will happily accept, and that's how a Fae gains the title Valkyrsdatter or Valkyrsen."

"Did your mother ever claim any of your siblings?"

"No, but I claimed one as kin in my mother's stead. Her name was Lily, a fire Fae, and she was the only half-sibling I ever met. My mother had died by the time she came looking for her, but I was able to claim Lily as half-sister, so she got the title Valkyrsdatter."

"Is she nice?"

"I only met her the once at this little tavern in Iceland. She wanted to know about her mother, so I told her all the stories I could think of. That was really the only purpose for us meeting; she was surprised when I offered to claim her."

Bo grinned fondly at the Valkyrie. "You offered? That's sweet, Tamsin."

"Yeah, whatever," Tamsin brushed it off, glad that the succubus couldn't see her blush.

"So Kayleigh's mom claimed her?"

"Alexandra was married, which was pretty rare among Valkyries." Tamsin had almost said "bonded" but managed to stop herself just in time. "Kayleigh didn't have to be claimed; she inherently got the title."

"Why is it so rare – oh, wait, the no emotions thing, right?" Bo realized.

"Yeah, something like that," Tamsin eluded. The conversation was straying far too close to her own feelings for her liking. To her relief, the succubus didn't press further, instead thinking in silence about all she'd just learned.

"So do you have any kids running around out there?" Bo finally asked, her voice surprisingly timid.

Tamsin smiled. "Not a one, succubus."

Bo sighed in relief. She wasn't sure why it made her so happy, but hearing that Tamsin had never had children relaxed her somehow.

Tamsin, for her part, wasn't sure why Bo seemed so relieved that she hadn't had children, but the fact that she was made the Valkyrie's heart a little lighter.

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><p>According to a helpful online dictionary, the Viking word for "mother" is "móðir," which I changed to "modir" for pronunciation and typing purposes. I chose omelets because they are the only things I can cook without screwing up.<p> 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

**AN: **A friend and I realized that _The Princess Bride _has been influencing me in writing this without me, well, realizing.  
>In looking up the lyrics to a favorite song I discovered that I'd been pronouncing "mo laoch" incorrectly this whole time. That said, I don't think I ever posted the pronunciation: it's "moe laych(k)." I wrote this chapter to that same song: "Mo Ghile Mear," by Orla Fallon. Have a listen; it's awesome and all in Irish.<br>PS: Bonus points if you find the Buffy reference.

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><p>Bo was once again the first to wake, this time to the feel of sunlight shining through the window. She was still in Tamsin's warm arms, held snugly against the Valkyrie's body in a way that made her feel utterly cherished. It scared Bo as much as it thrilled her, this feeling of utter safety and comfort she'd never felt and thus couldn't name. Suddenly uncomfortable in her unsurety, Bo slipped from Tamsin's arms with a sigh, stretching as she swung her legs over the bed.<p>

Her eyes were once again drawn to the notebooks on Tamsin's bookshelf. Glancing over at the Valkyrie to make sure she was still asleep, Bo walked over to the shelf and took out a notebook she hadn't perused yet and flipped open the cover. The first few pages were again in runic Norse before switching to gibberish that looked like someone had doodled over various letters of the alphabet. This script continued through a fair part of the notebook, and Bo couldn't help but wonder what language it was that Tamsin was so fond of.

"That's in Icelandic," the Valkyrie answered from over her shoulder, causing the succubus to shriek and nearly drop the book.

"Don't _do _that!" Bo protested.

Tamsin was unrepentant. "_This _is why you wanted to know how many languages I spoke, isn't it?" she smirked.

Bo blushed. "I…I was curious…and I figured since I couldn't read it anyway…"

The Valkyrie burst out laughing. "It's fine, Bo. None of these notebooks have a lot of English in them, so I'm not worried you'll judge my poetry."

The succubus let out a laugh of relief. "The only thing I found in English was so crossed out I could barely read it," she admitted.

Tamsin felt a flash of panic. She could only think of one English poem that was marked up all to hell, and if Bo had read that one… The Valkyrie cleared her throat. "Um, so, yeah, I write in Icelandic and Norwegian a lot because they're both derived from Old Norse. I still remember Old Norse and the runic alphabet; I just don't really use it anymore."

"So what's this poem about?" Bo asked, holding up the notebook.

The Valkyrie scanned the page. "That one's about the northern lights," she replied. "Not one of my best, but it was just sort of a reaction piece to what I was seeing."

"Wait, you wrote this while watching the northern lights? In Iceland?"

"Uh-huh," the Valkyrie smiled. "Pictures don't really do them justice."

"I'd love to see them," Bo sighed.

Tamsin's smile softened into fondness. "Someday I'll take you there, succubus," she promised, and the grin she received in return was more beautiful to her than any aurora could ever be. "Now come on – you shower, I'll make breakfast. I hope you like crepes."

"You're spoiling me," Bo giggled.

"I'm eating them too, remember. I'm spoiling both of us." She winked at the succubus before leaving the room and heading downstairs. Bo stared after her for a moment before putting the notebook back on the shelf and taking out the one with the English poem she'd found. She flipped back and forth to see if she could find more than those last two stanzas, but it looked like a few pages had been torn out. With a sigh of defeat, Bo returned the book to its place on the shelf before going to the bathroom to take a shower.

When the succubus entered the kitchen, there was a stack of crepes waiting for her and Tamsin was frowning at her phone. "What's wrong?"

"Trick wants us at the Dal again today," the Valkyrie murmured. "Said something about Lauren having the results of her test."

"Yeah, well, Trick can shove it," Bo spat, loading her plate with crepes and grabbing the strawberry jam.

"Bo, he's your grandfather," Tamsin admonished, though gently.

"Yeah, and such a wonderfully loving grandfather he's been." The succubus's voice was saturated with sarcasm.

"He's still your family."

"Well he doesn't act like it!" Bo shouted, then winced. "I'm sorry, Tamsin, I shouldn't be shouting at you. I'm just…I'm just so _angry _with him…"

Tamsin sighed and made her way over to where Bo stood by the counter. Placing her hands on the succubus's shoulders, she began, "He may be pissing you off right now, but we all make stupid mistakes. I did terrible, _terrible _things, but you still forgave me. I think you can find it in your heart to forgive him, too." She sighed. "Bo, I spent almost all of my lives alone. After my mother died, I never had a family until now – until you and Kenzi and hell, even Trick and Kayleigh and Dyson when he's not being an asshole. You're all my family and you mean _everything _to me. You should never give up on your family."

Bo smiled as she mirrored Tamsin's gesture, putting her hands on the Valkyrie's shoulders. "Family doesn't have to be determined by blood, Tamsin. The family you have now? You're not related to any of them. Well, maybe very, _very _distantly to Kayleigh, but not the rest of us. I may have gotten my mother back and Trick may be my grandfather, but they're not the only family I have. You and Kenzi are the most important people in my life, and you mean everything to me, too. If I had to live my life without Trick in it, I could. But I could never live without you and Kenzi."

Hearing Bo say that she was one of the most important people in her life and couldn't live without her made Tamsin's heart pound double-time in her chest as her very being sang with joy. She brought her hands from the succubus's shoulders to wrap around her waist instead, pulling her into a tight embrace. Bo threw her arms around Tamsin's neck and buried her face into the Valkyrie's shoulder, inhaling her scent – lavender and spice and something solely Tamsin. They stood in comfortable silence for a long time, far longer than "just friends" would. But they had crossed that line long ago, though neither was sure into where. For now, what they had between them didn't need a name. It just was.

The moment was cut short by the buzzing of Tamsin's phone. Looking over Bo's shoulder and seeing who the caller was, the Valkyrie rolled her eyes and pulled away from the succubus, turning on the speakerphone. "What do you want, short-stack?"

"_Dude, you've gotta come to the Dal. We're gettin' all Xena up in this shit."_

"English, please," Bo requested.

"_The doctors Feelgood brought weapons," _the human replied. The two Fae could hear Kayleigh's distinct "Oi!" of nickname protest in the background. _"Figured with the sídhe on their way it might be good to start training up. Kayleigh's got Lauren on a crossbow and Aislinn's teaching me how to use a short bow. Woman's like Legolas on crack."_ This time Bo and Tamsin heard what sounded like "should I take that as a compliment?" followed by Lauren's "in Kenzi-speak, yes."

"Give us about an hour, ok?" Bo replied. "We haven't finished breakfast."

"_It's gonna take you an hour to finish breakfast? With the way Tamsin eats?"_

Bo chuckled. "No, it's just…I promised my mom I would visit her for a little bit today."

"_Oh. Cool." _Kenzi's tone had become very awkward very quickly. _"See you when you get here, then."_

"_Maybe she can hit the target by then!" _Kayleigh called out. The last thing Bo and Tamsin heard before Kenzi hung up was a string of Russian curses.

Both women sighed. "Well…guess we have to get going now," was Bo's reluctant assertion. In the time it had taken her to say this, Tamsin had eaten her stack of crepes. "Seriously?!"

"Habit. You eat as slowly as you want; I'm going to take a shower." Not sure where the impulse came from but succumbing nonetheless, Tamsin pressed a kiss to Bo's cheek before going upstairs.

The succubus stood frozen for a few stunned moments, the echo of the Valkyrie's lips burning on her skin. Memories of past kisses rushed through her mind as a river might break down a dam: searching for Kenzi, Brazenwood, and so recently in Tamsin's bed when the Valkyrie had seen right through her and still held her tight. Bo shook herself back to reality and focused on the much simpler task of eating her crepes, even as she could still feel Tamsin's kiss on her cheek.

…

Bo visited her mother long enough to say hello and admire some of her new drawings. Aífe had drawn a picture of Bo and Tamsin standing together that she insisted Bo keep. The succubus absolutely adored it, but was less enthusiastic about the picture of her spattered with blood as she stood over a corpse she could only assume was meant to be her father. Tamsin rather liked it.

When Bo and Tamsin arrived at the Dal, they heard voices and laughter coming from the alley behind the bar. Following the sound, they found Lauren sitting and watching Aislinn try to teach Kenzi how to shoot a bow. The human was managing to hit the makeshift target they'd set up, but her arrows were all over the place. "You don't just let go of the string," Aislinn was saying. "You have to let it slide from your fingers. And you have to keep the bow steady even after you fire the arrow."

"So many ruuuuules!" Kenzi whined.

"It's not that difficult once you get the hang of it," the blonde empath insisted.

"Not true," Kayleigh spoke up. "I've been trying for over a hundred years and I _still _can't get it." Aislinn scowled at her girlfriend who only grinned in response.

"How's the training going?" Bo inquired. At the succubus's voice, Lauren looked up and waved at her and Tamsin.

"Well enough," Kayleigh shrugged. She had a sword on one hip and a parrying dagger on the other. Seeing Bo squint at the craftsmanship, the empath arched an eyebrow. "Um, can I help you?"

"Tamsin, I thought you said Valkyries only got _one _weapon out of the hall," the succubus almost whined as she turned to the blonde.

Tamsin shook her head. "The choosing of the weapons determines your fighting style more than anything. Some Valkyries fight sword and dagger, so they're called by one of each."

"You've been telling Bo Valkyrie stories?" Kayleigh stared at Tamsin. "Wow, if I didn't know better I'd say you were going soft in your old age."

"I can still doubt you into oblivion, bitch."

"_There's _the Tamsin I know," the empath chuckled as Bo rolled her eyes.

Turning to Lauren, the succubus asked, "No Evony?"

The doctor shrugged from where she was sitting on a crate. "She said and I quote, 'I have better things to do than watch the Happy Sunshine Gang mess around with pointy objects. But call me if the succubus gets shot; that I want to see.'"

Unoffended, Bo just laughed and shook her head. "What about Hale and Dyson?"

"Stuck doing actual police work," the doctor replied. "Apparently their boss had issues with them dropping everything and running to the rescue yesterday."

There was a thunk as Kenzi's next arrow hit the target at an odd angle. "How did you even _do _that?" Aislinn tilted her head as she examined the shot.

"Can't I try the crossbow again?"

"_No," _Lauren, Kayleigh, and Aislinn all said at once with vehement voices and wide eyes. "You almost took Kayleigh's head off with that first shot," Aislinn continued. "I am _not _letting you near one of those things again. _Ever_."

"Jeez, fine," Kenzi grumbled as she loaded another arrow. She had drawn back the string when she heard the others gasp beside her. Looking up at the target, the human saw that a scald crow had perched atop it and was watching her with a beady black gaze. Kenzi gave a yelp of fright and loosed the arrow without aiming…straight into the crow.

"Oh, of _all _the shots you had to make…" Kayleigh whimpered.

But instead of falling over dead, the scald crow just blinked at all of them before looking down at the arrow, cocking its head in examination. The women gaped as the crow took the shaft between its beak and, bit by bit, pulled the arrow from its body. Letting out a long, grating caw around the projectile in its mouth, the scald crow took off over their heads, dropping the arrow at Kenzi's feet.

All were silent as they tried to process what they'd just seen. Kenzi broke first. "I'm done," she gave up, dropping the bow and holding up her hands. "I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm _so done_." She slumped against the crate Lauren was sitting on. "Is it too early to drink?"

"Yes," Bo and Kayleigh responded just as Aislinn and Tamsin went, "No." When Kayleigh gave her girlfriend an incredulous look, the empath shrugged and smirked. "I'm Irish. We have Guinness for breakfast."

"Another warning?" Bo asked Tamsin.

"Yes," the Valkyrie drew out, "but I don't think it's the type of warning I first thought it was."

"_Please _elaborate," Lauren all but begged.

"When Bo and I first saw the scald crow at her window I thought it was warning us against it – against Mór Ríoghan. But after what just happened, I think it's actually a warning against someone or something else. I think the scald crows might actually be on our side, so to speak."

"They chased Evony down the street!" Lauren protested.

"Maybe, but they didn't hurt her. I think they might just have been trying to get her attention so she could get our attention."

"Well, they have _my _attention," Kenzi groaned. "That was the trippiest shit ever to trip shit."

"English major you are not," Aislinn noted. Kenzi just waved a dismissive hand at her.

Before any of them could theorize further, crashes and shouts came from the front of the Dal along with a series of growls the women recognized as belonging to Under-Fae. "Well, now we know what the warning was for," Kayleigh sighed, drawing her sword and dagger. Those with weapons followed suit: Aislinn loaded an arrow in her bow, Tamsin drew her sword, and Bo grabbed her dagger as the group ran around the side of the building to face the attack.

Six Under-Fae, all armed with swords, held formation to attack, but unlike most Under-Fae, they stood tall instead of hunched and intelligence gleamed in their sickly green eyes. Trick and Fíonn were backing away from them, Trick with his quarterstaff at the ready. The leader of the group growled something in what sounded like Irish, but more primitive.

"'Give us the succubus,'" Fíonn translated, being very careful not to look at Bo so as not to give her away.

"I _told _you you should have brought your knives," Aislinn hissed at him, never taking her eyes off the creatures they now knew were Under-sídhe.

"I didn't think I was gonna have to fight anything!" her brother protested. The leader repeated his earlier demand along with a new phrase. "Same thing, except he added 'or die,'" Fíonn interpreted again.

Tamsin tapped the blade of her sword against the ground twice and responded in what was obviously an insulting challenge. All those who understood Irish gave the Valkyrie a withering look before bracing themselves against the onslaught.

Kayleigh met the Under-sídhe first, bringing up her dagger to parry a downward strike before swinging her sword across the creature's stomach. A line of white blood appeared across its midsection but the ancient sídhe was tough enough to withstand much of the blade's force. Swearing in irritated dismay, Kayleigh crossed her blades at the hilt of her attacker's sword and went for a disarm. The sídhe anticipated her move, tilting and sliding its blade from her hold and forcing her to duck as it brought its sword back around.

Trick was handling two sídhe at once with surprising dexterity. As much as his quarterstaff looked like wood, it deflected the swords with a clang of metal as he swung and blocked left and right. The two creatures tried to flank him, but he changed his fighting style and went for jabs instead of sweeps. The Blood King knocked one of them prone, the creature's head cracking against the pavement. A stomp of Trick's foot against its temple swung its head to the side with a crack that was almost a crunch. The sídhe's sword clattered to the ground, falling from its lifeless hand. Trick ducked the swipe of the second creature's sword before bringing his quarterstaff up for a parry, reverting to swinging strikes now that he fought one-on-one.

Aislinn, meanwhile, had her bow drawn and ready and was waiting for an opportunity to loose the arrow. "_Shoot _them!" Kenzi begged.

"I can't!" Aislinn replied, just as frustrated. "The fighting's too close! I could hit _anyone_!"

Sensing her irritation even from a distance, Kayleigh turned her blades so the flats faced out, shoving her opponent instead of slicing it. The ancient sídhe had barely staggered two steps from the melee when an arrow pierced its throat with a squelching thud. The creature clutched at the spurting wound as it fell, dead before it hit the ground. Kayleigh gave her girlfriend a grim nod of thanks before turning to see who she could help.

"Why do I _always _get the leader?" Bo ground out as she did her best to parry the ancient sídhe's attacks. She did a lot more ducking than parrying, though she did manage to get a few slices across its abdomen. But though the cuts oozed white, they weren't nearly enough to do sufficient damage. The leader made a wide sweep with its blade and Bo instinctively leaned back to avoid it, but she leaned too far. The succubus hit the ground with a cry of surprise and pain as the ancient sídhe brought its sword back point-down for the killing blow. Bo had her dagger ready, hoped she could block it or roll out of the way…

And then Tamsin was there. The Valkyrie reacted without thought and with singular purpose: protect her warrior.

Tamsin covered Bo's body with hers and the leader's sword rebounded against her wings with the ring of steel on steel. Spinning left, Tamsin's feathers made a slice across the creature's chest that almost cut it in half. She brought her sword around in the same swing, severing the sídhe's head from its shoulders in a shower of white. Kayleigh drove her blade through the last sídhe's neck a moment later and the final assailant dropped. Battle over, all eyes turned to Tamsin.

Kenzi and Kayleigh were gazing at the blonde with sad sympathy, understanding the gravity of what she'd just revealed. Fíonn, Aislinn, Trick, and Lauren were staring at her in fearful shock, intimidated by her face and wings. The siblings and doctor weren't aware of the significance, but Trick began, "But…that means…" Tamsin shot him a warning look, all the more effective with her true face. Dreading one reaction the most, Tamsin turned to help Bo from the ground, fearing what she'd see.

But to Tamsin's surprise, there was no pity in Bo's gaze. There was only sadness and worry and distress as she gaped at the Valkyrie. Tamsin held out her hand and the succubus took it, letting the blonde help her to her feet. As Bo had the day Tamsin first unfurled her wings, Bo met her eyes without falter, finding this face just as beautiful. "Oh, Tamsin," she gasped, reaching out. "Your _wings_…"

Tamsin took a step back, retracting her wings and letting the darkness fade from her face. "It's nothing. I just…I need to go home. I'll see you back there, ok?" Without waiting for Bo's response, she turned and jogged to her truck, sword still in hand.

Bo watched her go in dismay, wondering what she'd done wrong and what she could do to fix it. She was about to go after Tamsin when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to meet Kayleigh's understanding but imploring gaze. "I know you want to help her, but you'll have all the time in the world later. Right now we have to deal with this." She canted her head towards the dead Under-sídhe scattered along the pavement.

"Right…" Bo took a deep breath. "Right. You're right. But…_how _do we deal with this?"

"Burn the bodies, for one," Trick responded. "We should drag them to the back first, though."

"I can help with that," Kayleigh offered. "I'm not averse to dead things."

"At least let me retrieve my arrow first," Aislinn requested.

"How is it they keep coming _here_, though?" Bo wondered as she gazed at the dead Under-Fae. "How do they know we're _here_?"

"I have a theory," Fíonn offered, raising his hand.

"That it's a demon?" Aislinn muttered just loud enough for her girlfriend to hear. Kayleigh had to bite her lip to keep from bursting into laughter.

"Let's hear it," the succubus prompted.

"Well…I think it's the name of the place."

There was incredulous silence for a moment before Kayleigh went _"Seriously?"_

"Think about it for a second," Fíonn continued. "Trick, why did you name this place Dal Riata?"

"It's named after an ancient Irish kingdom," the Blood King responded.

"Exactly."

Realizing what the gancanagh was getting at, Trick sighed. "Oh, dear."

"Still not getting it," Bo protested.

"Ancient sídhe are going to be drawn to places they recognize – in theory, anyway," Aislinn elaborated. "They may walk and talk, but Under-Fae still aren't very smart, even if they are ancient sídhe. If they see a place named Dal Riata then they're immediately going to associate it with their old home: their home before they were banished to the Otherworld."

"So where are we moving our base of operations?" Fíonn asked almost happily.

"This is not a game of capture the flag, you eejit," Aislinn retorted.

"There's a gym near Dyson's place that he uses to train," Lauren answered him. "We can do our training _and _research there. It'll be a little harder for the Under-Fae to get to, and if they _do _get to us then we know we're wrong about the Dal."

"Please let's be right," Kayleigh prayed to no one in particular. "Now, who's helping me move these bodies?"

"Can I take samples first?"

…

Tamsin was sitting on her bed and staring at nothing when Bo entered the room. The succubus slid into the bed behind the Valkyrie, embracing her back-to-front. Tamsin sighed at the gentle touch, but otherwise said nothing. Bo rested her chin on the Valkyrie's shoulder, running her hands along her arms. "Will you show me?" she whispered.

With a shuddering breath, Tamsin knelt forward and away from Bo's arms. Taking off her shirt and unclasping her bra (actions that made both women's breaths quicken), the Valkyrie let her face darken and unfurled her wings.

It was Bo's turn to sigh, this time in sadness as she ran her hands along the rough feathers of Tamsin's wings. "Does it hurt?"

Tamsin bit her lip to stifle a sob as she felt Bo's fingers comb through her feathers. The succubus had no idea what it meant for her to be able to touch them and Tamsin wasn't sure she'd ever have the strength to tell her. When Bo ran her hands along the tops of Tamsin's wings, gently caressing the strong limbs, the Valkyrie couldn't hold back her tears.

Bo began to massage the tense muscles between Tamsin's shoulder blades before moving her touch along the base of the Valkyrie's left wing. She continued her tender massage along the wing itself, every so often running her fingers through the ink and coal expanse of her feathers. "It works both ways, you know," she murmured. "You said you'll always be there for me. I'll always be there for you, too, Tamsin. Whenever you need me."

The words hurt as much as they healed, and the Valkyrie could only sit and cry, her body shaking with silent sobs. Bo said nothing – only continued to show Tamsin how much she was cared for. How much Bo cared for her.

* * *

><p><strong>Glossary:<strong>

Dal Riata/Dál Riada: According to my go-to book _Legendary Ireland_, Dál Riada was a forest kingdom in Irish lore. When I discovered this I just had to use it in the story.

All knowledge of archery comes from my own amateur archery skills. "Eejit" is a way of saying "idiot" in Ireland.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

**AN: **And now the part you've all been waiting for. Here's hoping it's all right. I wrote this chapter to Heather Nova's "Only Love." If you can multitask, have a listen while you read the chapter; it really sets the mood and tone.  
><em>Irishgal95<em>: You have absolutely, totally, utterly, completely made my day! Go raibh maith agat!

* * *

><p>"Bo?" Tamsin's voice called out hoarse and needy in the darkness.<p>

The succubus was instantly awake. "What's wrong?"

"I need you," the Valkyrie pleaded in a desperate gasp.

Bo wrapped her arms around Tamsin, holding her close. The blonde shuddered in her embrace, clutching at the black silk of Bo's nightie while burying her head in the brunette's shoulder. Bo traced calming circles on Tamsin's back and ran tender fingers through her hair, pressing the occasional soft kiss to her forehead. "I've got you," Bo soothed. "I've always got you."

As Tamsin's shivers slowly began to subside under the succubus's ministrations, she realized exactly what position she was in. She was still clinging to Bo's nightie, pulling it so far down that her breasts were in danger of coming free. The blonde had her face buried in the crook of Bo's neck and one leg slung over the brunette's thigh. Tamsin was hyperaware of every burning place they touched, the slightest of movements kindling the flames of desire beginning to ignite within her. She looked up at Bo in panic, afraid of what the succubus's reaction would be, but Bo looked back at her with gentle surety, placing another kiss to Tamsin's forehead. The kiss turned into a series of smaller ones down Tamsin's cheek and along her jaw and ended with a gentle brush of Bo's lips against hers.

Tamsin arched into the kiss with fervent need, letting out a whimper as Bo matched her ferocity. Mouths moved in tender synchronicity as the two women molded seamlessly to each other's embrace, pressing the full length of their bodies together. But once again, Bo's tongue along Tamsin's lips made the Valkyrie pause. "Bo, wait," she protested with effort, barely breaking the kiss. It was hypocrisy of the worst kind. Hadn't Tamsin denied Bo just days ago for the very same reason – because she was hurting and in need of comfort? How selfish would Tamsin be to accept this now?

"Shh," Bo soothed again, stroking Tamsin's cheek. "I want to. I promise you, I want to." The succubus knew exactly what the Valkyrie was thinking – exactly why she was resisting. But this was different from before. This time Bo was offering to take Tamsin's pain away – not out of pity, but from a deep longing of her own. "I could never regret you," Bo repeated, smiling at the woman in her arms. And this time, Tamsin broke.

The Valkyrie crashed her lips to Bo's again and moaned as their tongues met and delved and danced. She released the succubus's nightie to wrap her arms around her neck instead, tangling her fingers in thick brown hair. Bo's lips tasted like heaven against Tamsin's and the blonde drank in the sweetness of their tongues together as if she'd never have another chance. The passing thought made Tamsin cling even more tightly to the succubus, who responded by slipping her hands beneath the hem of Tamsin's t-shirt to alight on bare skin.

Tamsin shivered again, this time from arousal as Bo drew random patterns on her skin, leaving trails of heat and lust in her wake. Tamsin began to tug at Bo's nightie in an attempt to find bare skin herself but Bo gently shushed her, rolling atop the blonde. "Let me," she murmured. "Let me take care of you." Tamsin – who had never once surrendered, never once let someone else take the lead, never once in her many lifetimes let someone lie atop her – nodded her assent, lifting her arms above her head in a sign of complete submission. Bo kissed her deeply in both understanding and reassurance as she dragged the fabric of Tamsin's shirt up her body and over her arms before tossing it somewhere into the darkness of the room.

Bo placed one last kiss to Tamsin's lips before kissing her way along her jaw and down her neck, licking and nipping at the column of her throat and eliciting whimpers from the blonde beneath her. She licked a gentle trail along the Valkyrie's collarbone before kissing her way down her chest, ending her journey at the space between Tamsin's bra-clad breasts. Bo nuzzled the generous flesh with a sigh, kissing her way along the top of the blonde's breast before leaving gentle bites in her skin, each nip bringing a whimpering cry from Tamsin's lips. The succubus reached around and deftly unhooked the clasp of Tamsin's bra as she kissed her way back to the Valkyrie's neck. With the lightest brushes of her lips, Bo nudged the straps of Tamsin's bra down her arms before taking the garment between her teeth and pulling it from her completely. The sensuality of the display only served to increase the wetness already pooling between Tamsin's thighs.

Once Tamsin's bra had been tossed aside, Bo stared at what she'd revealed. The Valkyrie's breasts were perfect – round and full with nipples of the lightest pink already pebbled with desire. Bo eagerly descended upon her, taking one breast in her hand while lowering her mouth to the other, tracing the areola with her tongue before wrapping her lips around Tamsin's nipple. Tamsin cried out and arched her back as she tried to press more of herself against Bo. The wet heat of the succubus's tongue drawing fiery designs over her breast had the Valkyrie reeling with delight, clenching the sheets in a white-knuckled grip as she moaned out her pleasure. Even as Bo laved Tamsin's nipple with her tongue, she pinched and rolled the other between her fingers, cupping the generous flesh of her breast in her hand. With one last flick of her tongue, Bo moved her lips to the neglected bud, pulling it between her teeth and sucking hard.

Tamsin bucked her hips against Bo in desperation, her entire body burning with need. The succubus ran her palms down the Valkyrie's stomach before dragging her pants and underwear down her legs with reassuring tenderness even as she looked up at the blonde with a mischievous smile. Reluctantly leaving Tamsin's breast, Bo's lips followed the path her hands had taken until she was nuzzling the soft curls between Tamsin's thighs. Spreading the Valkyrie's legs, Bo kissed her folds as she might her lips before parting them with her thumbs to reveal the soaking length of Tamsin's sex. Her own need pulsing between her legs, Bo found the blonde's aching clit with unerring accuracy and wrapped her lips around it, humming as she took in Tamsin's taste. The vibrations against the sensitive bundle of nerves had Tamsin arching again as she sobbed out her pleasure. The sound stirred Bo's own lust even further, and she slid her hand down to trace Tamsin's entrance with her fingertips before sliding two fingers inside her.

Tamsin bit her lip, but it did nothing to stifle her shuddering moan as Bo entered her. She had never felt so complete – as if she'd found part of herself she didn't even realize she was missing. Bo gently pulled back before sliding her fingers deeper, tenderly exploring the Valkyrie's center until she found that ribbed patch deep within that sent jolts of pleasure crackling along Tamsin's nerves. The Valkyrie relinquished her grip on the sheets to grasp at Bo's shoulders instead. "Bo, please…I need…I need…" Understanding Tamsin's plea, the succubus placed one more kiss to the blonde's clit before replacing her mouth with her thumb. She slid up Tamsin's body to bring their lips together again and the blonde could taste herself on Bo's tongue as the succubus wrapped her free arm around the Valkyrie to pull her closer.

Tamsin had never been taken like this before. Tamsin had never really been taken. She'd always been the one doing the taking, finding quick pleasure in a quick fuck before going on her way. But this was different. This slow, sweet joining was unlike anything the Valkyrie had ever felt before – more pleasure than she'd ever thought was possible, every sense heightened and every part of her aware of the woman above her. Maybe it was because Tamsin was in the arms of her warrior; maybe it was because it was Bo moving inside her. Whatever the reason, there was beauty in this surrender, and Tamsin cherished every movement, every second, every sound.

The Valkyrie spread her legs further and wrapped them around Bo's waist, and the change of angle made both women moan. Bo had begun to curl her fingertips on each downstroke, massaging that secret spot within Tamsin and sending her higher and higher. The succubus quickened her thrusts as the blonde began to buck her hips more frantically, the swell of her release rolling through her like a wave for shore, sharpening as it crested…

"So close," Tamsin gasped. "Bo, so close."

"That's it, baby," Bo encouraged. "Come for me, Tamsin."

Tamsin opened her eyes to meet Bo's, expecting her gaze to be bright blue, but the succubus's eyes remained their warm, caring brown. The knowledge that Bo was joining with her not as a succubus but as herself sent Tamsin over the edge.

The Valkyrie tossed her head back as she came with a sharp cry. Her climax cascaded from her center to the very tips of her fingers and toes and Tamsin let it take her, safe to let go in Bo's arms. Bo continued to move within the Valkyrie as she succumbed to her pleasure, drawing out the aftershocks until Tamsin lay spent. For a moment, the blonde could only lie there with her eyes clenched shut as she struggled to breathe. When she'd finally managed a semblance of composure, she opened her eyes to gaze up at Bo.

The smile that lit Tamsin's face made Bo's heart ache. It was vulnerable and almost shy but filled with carefree, unrestrained joy. Bo thought the blonde had never looked so beautiful as when her smile was so bright and her happiness made the succubus grin in return. Tamsin bit her lip – again, almost shyly – before leaning up to press her lips to Bo's with a giddy sigh. Bo giggled into the kiss, tenderly stroking the blonde's cheek. She was so enraptured that it took her a moment to realize that Tamsin was tugging at her nightie. "Please…" Bo complied, tossing the silk over her head before lifting off Tamsin just far enough to take off her panties as well. Both women moaned as the succubus pressed her body back to Tamsin's, relishing the feel of each other's skin. Tamsin reached between them to where their hips met and gently parted Bo's folds. Placing one hand at the small of the succubus's back, the Valkyrie guided her down so that their clits pressed together.

Bo threw her head back and cried out at the sensation, propping herself up on her elbows for leverage as she ground her hips against Tamsin's. Tamsin lifted her head to take one of Bo's nipples into her mouth, eliciting further moans from the succubus. The Valkyrie brought her free hand to Bo's neglected breast, cupping the soft mound in her palm and worshiping her nipple with her fingertips.

Both women could feel the slickness of their arousal meeting each other's and the sensation of being so connected heightened their already-frantic desire. Bo reached between them and dipped her fingers in their combined essence, painting her lips before sucking on her fingers. Tamsin's vision grew hazy with lust as she watched and when Bo bent her head to kiss Tamsin, the blonde responded eagerly, both of them whimpering at the shared taste. Succubus and Valkyrie clung to each other as they moved in perfect sync, spiraling higher and higher until their orgasm sent them soaring. Each screamed out the other's name as ecstasy caressed their every nerve in all-consuming bliss before subsiding into shudders.

Bo collapsed on top of Tamsin, who wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist. When the succubus tried to roll away, the Valkyrie let out an "mm-mn" of protest, holding her in place. Giggling, Bo kissed her again – tender and caring – before burying her face in the crook of Tamsin's neck. The blonde hummed in content as she pulled the sheets over them both.


End file.
